After 80-minute Trump address, GOP lawmakers say momentum is back as healthcare fight looms

Republicans coming away from an address President Donald Trump delivered to GOP lawmakers on Tuesday expressed renewed confidence in the trajectory of the administration’s efforts.

“I’m grateful the president called on Republicans to unite as one team — because when we stand together, we win,” Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., said of the meeting.

During his address, Trump touched on a broad slew of priorities during his more than 80-minute address at the Kennedy Center, calling on Republicans to double down on their messaging on successes in his first year back in office and encouraging them to aggressively push wins in areas like healthcare.

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“He laid out a clear vision to deliver real solutions that strengthen healthcare, lower costs for families and protect the U.S. Treasury. We’ve already achieved meaningful tax reforms that are putting more money back into family budgets,” Langworthy said.

Trump’s remarks come as Congress stares down a full plate of legislative priorities to begin the year in 2026.

Among them, lawmakers must decide what to do about enhanced premium subsidies for Obamacare that expired at the end of last year. Republicans remained divided over whether to renew those subsidies, reform the program to lower costs, or pursue some other course of action.

In the midst of that picture, Trump encouraged Republicans to make healthcare their issue, seeking to strip Democrats of heavy messaging on topics like Medicaid and Obamacare.

“You want to turn this thing? You work on favorite nations, you work on borders, you work on all of the things that we talked about. But now you take the healthcare issue away from them. They cannot fight it successfully; there is nothing they can do,” Trump said.

“Let the money go directly to the people where they can buy their own healthcare,” Trump said, resurfacing his calls to reform federal assistance for the Obamacare subsidies.

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“I’m not sure I’ve ever said anything that was more impactful. This was an idea that the whole country went crazy. If you can somehow do that, this is going to be your issue.”

Trump stressed that the messaging, coupled with the other successes of his first year back in office, would provide Republicans ample opportunity to pitch their work to voters in the coming months.

“You have so many good nuggets — you have to use them,” Trump said. “If you can sell them, we’re gonna win. Just don’t fight it. We’ve had the most successful first year of any president in history. And it should be a positive. Make it a positive.”

The message resonated with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y. She pointed back to some of the GOP priorities that passed as a part of Trump’s border and tax package in July.

“President Trump focused on the victories we delivered for working Americans in 2025. Because of the work Republicans have done, inflation is lower, taxes have been cut, our borders are secure, women’s sports are protected, gas is cheaper, mortgages are more affordable and our economy has grown,” Malliotakis said. 

“We will build on this success and keep winning for America in this historic 250th anniversary year,” she added.

Other lawmakers also voiced renewed confidence in the track record from 2025.

“House GOP are unapologetically delivering on the America First agenda,” Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., said in a post to X. “America is back. Common-sense policies that put our country first are working, momentum is clear, and we are keeping up the fight.”

In a similar post, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, framed the work Republicans had done on cutting taxes as wins that would shortly pay dividends.

“President Trump is right. No tax on tips. No tax on overtime. Middle class tax cuts. Economy ready to boom!” Jordan wrote.

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Langworthy believes the road ahead into 2026, a midterm election year, offers a straightforward strategy for Republicans.

“Now our job is simple: fight back, stay on offense, and make sure the American people hear — every day — what we’ve delivered and what we’re building next,” Langworthy said.