President-elect Donald Trump has an aggressive agenda planned for his first 100 days, which should not be derailed by Republicans who are supposed to be his allies in the House. They need to stop fighting over interim spending and, most especially, set aside political gossiping over who should lead them as speaker. If House Republicans want to run for reelection on a successful Trump agenda in 2026, they should work with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) now and help their party avoid a chaotic start that would undermine confidence in the important agenda for the next four years.

Revolt over the 1,500-page continuing resolution that emerged from negotiations between Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was understandable. After an overwhelming vote for change in the November election, the deal embodied a business-as-usual approach with all kinds of goodies for lobbyists and special interest groups secreted within its many pages.