Several fractures have emerged within the House Republican Conference in recent weeks, as some GOP lawmakers clash with Speaker Mike Johnson over government funding, health care policy, and controversial details in key legislation such as the annual defense bill and a proposed ban on lawmakers trading stocks.
Such internal battles are not unusual, especially in a narrowly divided chamber where just a handful of dissenting members can upend leadership’s agenda and, at times, force the speaker to change course.
Why It Matters
Johnson has faced mounting scrutiny and internal pressure in recent months, particularly during the latest federal government funding fight. Some members accused him of stalling the swearing in of Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva to avoid a vote on releasing files related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has since broken with Trump, urged Johnson to permit a vote on making the Epstein files public and, after announcing her mid-cycle retirement, took aim at his leadership, further inflaming tensions within the Republican ranks.
Less than a year into the second Trump administration, some GOP lawmakers are frustrated that their majorities in the House and Senate have not translated into a faster legislative pace ahead of the 2026 midterms. Criticism of Johnson’s leadership has become a tool for rank-and-file members seeking to push him in a more aggressive direction.
Johnson’s slim House majority gives Republican holdouts outsized leverage, often forcing him to negotiate with dissenters or alter strategy. At the same time, several Republicans have announced plans to retire and have been blunt about their dissatisfaction with Congress and, at times, with party leadership.
Elise Stefanik’s Disputed Provision
Representative Elise Stefanik, a prominent Trump ally and candidate for governor of New York, has been working to advance legislation responding to the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. With Republicans controlling both chambers, she saw an opening to move her proposal forward, but now accuses Johnson of blocking it.
Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference, sharply criticized Johnson on Tuesday, writing on X: “I just walked out of a briefing on this issue this morning CONFIRMING everything I posted yesterday. That yes, in fact, the Speaker is blocking my provision to root out the illegal weaponization that led to Crossfire Hurricane, Arctic Frost, and more. He is siding with Jamie Raskin against Trump Republicans to block this provision to protect the deep state. This is an easy one. This bill is DOA unless this provision gets added in as it was passed out of committee.”
Later that day, Johnson pushed back during a press conference, saying that “all” of her claims are “false.”
“I don’t know exactly why Elise won’t just call me. I texted her yesterday. She’s upset one of her provisions is not being made, I think, into the NDAA. I explained to her in a text message, as soon as I heard this, yesterday…I said, ‘What are you talking about? This hasn’t even made it to my level?’”
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was transmitted from the Senate to the House on November 12, where it remains on hold as members seek further changes. If Stefanik and other Republicans withhold their support, Johnson could struggle to secure passage. With the GOP holding only a narrow edge, he can afford to lose just two Republican votes.
Stock Trading Ban Discharge Petition
On Tuesday, Representative Anna Paulina Luna filed a discharge petition aimed at circumventing Johnson and forcing a vote on bipartisan legislation that would bar members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
She wrote on X: “Today WE introduced the bipartisan legislation that will ban members of Congress from being able to partake in the insider, trading cartel happening here in the House of Representatives. We had to do it via discharge petition because of the BS on the back end. And yes, there is BS.”
The petition needs 218 signatures to compel a vote, the same threshold used last month in a similar effort related to the Epstein records.
Republican Representative Chip Roy and Democratic Representative Seth Magaziner introduced the bipartisan bill to prohibit members of Congress and their family members from trading stocks, and it has attracted backing from both Republicans and Democrats.
Currently, lawmakers may buy and sell stocks as long as they report such trades within 30 days, under the 2012 Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act. However, as some members continue to post returns that outperform the broader market, support has grown for a total ban, amid concerns that lawmakers’ access to sensitive information could create conflicts of interest.
Earlier this year, Johnson sounded open to the legislation, stating he opposes any “impropriety.” At the same time, he expressed “some sympathy” for the “counterargument” from members who note that congressional pay has been frozen since 2009 and has not kept pace with inflation.
Health Care Plan Stalemate
Republicans are also trying to assemble a health care proposal as certain Affordable Care Act subsidies approach expiration. So far, it is unclear whether moderates and conservatives can rally around a single plan. Some GOP members have faulted Johnson, arguing that the party has not yet presented a convincing replacement strategy.
What Comes Next
Johnson is confronting additional intra-party splits over Russia sanctions and various procedural maneuvers in the House. Against this backdrop of internal discord, the next major test looms: the current stopgap funding measure expires on January 30, 2026. By then, Congress must act again to prevent another federal shutdown, even as Republicans remain divided over how to wield their narrow majority.
