Trump's Rug Pull In The House Creates More Problems For Mike Johnson Than It Solves

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The decision by President Donald Trump to pull the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the next ambassador to the UN is based on the need to secure the GOP's narrow majority in the Lower House, the president said on Thursday.

"As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress. We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning," Trump added on his social media platform, Truth Social.

However, even if the decision provides some peace of mind for the president in the short term, it can also create some problems down the line. The first one is the fact that all leadership positions in the House have been filled, making it unclear where Stefanik will fit as she returns to her duties. Axios reported that her congressional staff has mostly resigned and she surrendered her slot on the House Intelligence Committee.

The second one is the messaging: by conveying that the leadership is not comfortable holding an election in a district Republicans won by 20 points, officials could feel the public is not particularly happy with the direction in which the administration is going. House Minority leader voiced the notion, saying party leaders are "afraid they will lose the special election to replace her,"

"A few weeks ago, they were too scared to face voters at town halls. Now, they are so scared they can't even face voters at the polls," added DCCC spokesperson Courtney Rice.

The outlet added that Stefanik was "crushed and scrambled to reverse Trump's decision before he announced it. However, she went on Fox News' "Hannity" to say she is "proud to be a team player."

"I have been proud to be a team player. The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," Stefanik added.

Republicans currently hold a 218-213 majority in the House of Representatives, the smallest margin since 1931. Party leaders have also expressed concern over the state of the special election in Florida's 6th district, which will take place next week.

Even if candidate Randy Fine manages to take the seat, Trump is worried a narrower-than-expected result could fuel a narrative that the GOP is already struggling, even in ruby-red districts Republicans won by large margins only months ago.