The MAGA-verse, with President-elect Trump and Elon Musk at the helm, continues to wield unprecedented power over Congress — but it has also found its limits.

Why it matters: Three times now, the influential voices surrounding Trump — often organizing on X — have failed to get exactly what they want.

Just since Trump and Congressional Republicans electoral victories...

• John Thune was elected to be Senate majority leader, despite a fevered push by Trump allies to elect Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) He didn't even make it past the first round of votes.
• Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was forced to withdraw from consideration to be attorney general. Despite being celebrated by some in Trump's orbit, the votes weren't there from Senate Republicans.
• 38 House Republicans defied Trump by voting against a short-term spending deal he explicitly asked for.
• Congressional Republicans went against Trump's wishes again by voting for a spending bill that didn't include an increase in the country's debt ceiling.

What we're hearing: "I think the big loser in all this is probably [Speaker Mike] Johnson — but also Trump," one Republican senator told Axios, requesting anonymity to speak candidly.

• Raising or suspending the debt ceiling was "the one thing [Trump] said he wanted, and they're not gonna give it to him."

Between the lines: There is no denying that an X post from Musk or a Truth Social post from Trump still holds significant sway over an important bloc of Congressional Republicans.

• But they have proven to be far more effective at shooting down ideas and plans, rather than making the case for things.
• One notable exception: The outpouring of support for Trump's Defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth seemed to help keep his nomination fight alive after a brutal week early this month.

For the first time in modern history, the House majority will rest on thinner margins than the Senate's in the 119th Congress.

Why it matters: The House is going to be a bigger headache for President-elect Trump than the Senate.

• The chaos of the past few days is just the tasting menu for a banquet of what's to come in two weeks.
• "This is comparatively straightforward," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters about the government shutdown showdown. "Reconciliation is very tough. It's very complicated, and they can't manage this. This has been a disaster."

What to watch: The Senate plans to use reconciliation to work around the filibuster and pass political priorities with a simple majority.

• They can even afford to lose a couple of votes from the likes of Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine) or Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
• But they could face a dilemma the House usually has to deal with — watching a bill get changed or die in the other chamber.

By the numbers: The 119th Congress will begin with six more Senate Republicans than Senate Democrats, while the House will start with four more Republicans than Democrats, assuming former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) does not get sworn in for a new term.

Incoming Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) called the statistic "wild."

• "Any time you have a narrow margin, it's a challenge, whether it's the Senate or the House," he said, adding leaders will "do our best to make sure we keep the team as united as possible."

It's the first time the House has had a smaller majority than the Senate since at least the 88th Congress, which was the first time there were 435 representatives and 100 senators.

• The House margin will get even smaller, fast. Reps. Elise Stefanick (R-N.Y.) and Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) are expected to join the Trump administration, leaving their seats empty, at least temporarily.
• Sens. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will also vacate their Senate seats for top Trump posts next month. Their seats will likely be quickly filled by governor appointments.

President-elect Trump called a revised stopgap spending plan that emerged Thursday a "very good Deal for the American People" and urged lawmakers to support it.

Why it matters: The development follows 24 hours of chaos on Capitol Hill after Trump blew up a bipartisan deal at the last minute. Government funding is set to lapse this weekend.

• Trump further complicated matters Thursday when he told NBC News he supports abolishing the debt ceiling and is prepared to "lead the charge" to make it happen.

"It's a laughable proposal," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in response to the bill.

• Jeffries characterized the bill as a "Trump-Musk-Johnson" proposal.

The latest version of the measure would fund the government through March, suspend the debt ceiling until January of 2027, extend the farm bill for a year and provide roughly $100 billion for disaster aid.

• Provisions increasing congressional pay, allowing the Washington Commanders football team to return to D.C. and redirecting spending on prescription drugs to health plans and pharmaceutical companies were dropped. As were restrictions on U.S. investments in China.
• GOP lawmakers said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was eyeing a Thursday evening floor vote on the measure.

Sources told Axios the initial plan is to bring the measure up under suspension of the rules — a process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage — before likely pivoting to consideration under a rule, which lowers the passage threshold to a simple majority.

• The Rules Committee — which would have to sign off on a simple majority passage approach — includes some staunch conservatives unlikely to agree to a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling: Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), for starters.
• Regardless of the outcome, the votes could give Trump visibility into which Republicans are heeding his call to line up behind a proposal he's endorsed.

The other side: Democrats are scrambling to determine how to approach the bill after spending the morning demanding Johnson stick with the original deal.

• The House Democratic caucus is meeting Thursday afternoon, according to an invite obtained by Axios, with a senior House Democrat saying the new bill is "under discussion."
• Another senior House Democrat told Axios: "Honestly if they put what they are proposing right now on the floor three weeks ago, it would've gotten a lot of votes."

But that might not be the case now: "They're asking us to take less than we had at the beginning of the week in return for a major concession, so 'laughable' is a pretty good word," Rep Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios.

Go deeper: See the bill here

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more reporting.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is floating Elon Musk to be Speaker of the House after the powerful, billionaire tech businessman helped torpedo a bipartisan agreement on a short-term spending bill.

Why it matters: He's the first GOP lawmaker to explicitly suggest Musk should be Speaker, and his comments come as Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) bid to keep his job is under serious threat.

• Musk has already emerged as one of the most powerful voices in politics and has become one of President-elect Trump's closest confidants.

What he's saying: "Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk," Paul posted on X on Thursday morning.

• "[T]hink about it .  . . nothing's impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka 'uniparty,' lose their ever-lovin' minds)"
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — a frequent Johnson critic — reposted Paul's comments, adding that she'd be "open to supporting Musk" for Speaker.
• "The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday," she said. "This could be the way."

Between the lines: The Constitution does not specify that the Speaker of the House has to be a member of the chamber — though they always have been.

• Non-representative names have been floated over the years during Speaker elections.
• Paul has long been an advocate for slashing government spending, though he is in the wrong chamber to have much say over who will win the Speakers' gavel in January's floor vote.
• Trump, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital on Thursday morning that Johnson will "easily remain speaker" if he "acts decisively and tough" and eliminates "all of the traps being set by Democrats" in the spending package.

The other side: Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, are incensed at the outsized power Musk appears to be exercising over the policymaking process.

• "If this is the type of power he has, then he is going to be the unelected co-president of this country and we've got to be super blunt about it," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.).

— Axios' Andrew Solender contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

A small, bipartisan group of senators have been quietly sketching out a possible new border deal for early 2025, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Border and immigration reform is the white whale of Congress. It's also President-elect Trump's No. 1 priority.

• Top Senate Republicans plan to move quickly on a border package, using the budget reconciliation process to get it done.
• But the idea of a bipartisan border deal that could get 60 votes has popped up as GOP infighting drags on over the best path forward in Trump's first 100 days.

Zoom in: At least two Trump-state Democrats have been involved in the conversations, which Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) described as "very" serious and the details "very secret."

• "If we can do border separately — without reconciliation — then [Trump's] okay with" one reconciliation package, Mullin, who's been a key link between Trump, the Senate and the House, told Axios.
• Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is one of those Democrats.: "If there's willingness to work in a bipartisan way to do some stuff, not only on border security, but on immigration reform, I think it would be great."
• Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who is up for reelection next cycle, told Axios of the bipartisan border talks: "We're gonna be certainly engaged in efforts to make that happen."
• "There are all kinds of conversations — and I hope to be a part of them as they continue — aiming at comprehensive immigration reform," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said.

Between the lines: Politics have shifted on the border, with many Democrats — especially in states Trump won — moving to the right and embracing stricter enforcement measures to stem illegal border crossings and drug smuggling.

• Trump may have further made an opening by suggesting he would be willing to provide protections for DACA recipients —people who illegally entered the country as children.
• "We have to do something about the Dreamers because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age," Trump said in an interview earlier this month.
• That has long been the top immigration priority for Democrats.

Flashback: It was just last year that another bipartisan border deal was being hashed out by Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

• Despite serious concessions from both sides, the bill failed on the floor — in part because Trump wanted to campaign on the issue and didn't want to give Biden a win.
• Reconciliation could allow Senate Republicans to pass budget-related border measures with just 50 votes, rather than having to meet the 60-vote filibuster threshold. But there are limits on what they could do.

What to watch: There seems to be even more Democrats who would be willing to join conversations about a bipartisan border package.

• Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who — along with Trump — won in her state this year, told us she'd "like to be part of those conversations."
• Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) said conversations about a bipartisan border deal wouldn't surprise him, saying "we've been clear as Democrats in the Senate that we're willing to work with our Republican colleagues to solve this problem."
• Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also said he would support such a move. "I've been very clear that we need a secure border, absolutely... but also, I read that the President-elect even discussed protecting through DACA."

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is making a big opening bid in the 2025 tax battle, calling for the child tax credit to increase from a maximum of $2,000 to $5,000 per kid, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Such a plan could cost $2 trillion to $3 trillion over 10 years. That complicates the math for incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who have thin margins to extend President-elect Trump's signature tax bill.

• After a child is born, Hawley is proposing to let parents claim a credit for the tax year of the pregnancy.
• Hawley's proposal speaks to the GOP's desire to adopt pro-family policies and outflank Democrats on anti-poverty programs.

What he's saying: "These are the people working class, people with families are who elected Donald Trump, and we need to deliver real and meaningful tax relief to them," Hawley told Axios in an interview about his plan.

• Hawley has talked with Trump and the president-elect's team about the proposal, and took Vice President-elect JD Vance's lead on the specific $5,000 number, the senator told Axios.

Zoom in: Hawley wants to apply the credit to payroll taxes, allowing even Americans who do not make enough to pay income taxes to access bigger refunds.

• The plan would also allow families to receive the tax credits in regular installments throughout the year, rather than as a lump sum during tax season.
• It would also do away with the $2,500 income minimum for families to begin accessing the credit, while still requiring employment.

Zoom out: Republicans have been divided over efforts to expand the child tax credit, while Democrats have been largely supportive.

• Hawley was one of just three Senate Republicans who voted this year for a bipartisan tax package that included an expanded CTC. It failed.
• The other hot GOP tax fight is whether Republicans raise or eliminate the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions (SALT) they put in place in 2017. Trump has indicated he's in favor of eliminating the cap.

What he's saying: In response to potential concerns about the price tag, Hawley emphasized that "these are the folks who delivered us a majority," and that the plan would be "fantastic for the economy."

• He also noted people have to be paying taxes to earn the credit, arguing it is not a social assistance program.

The big picture: If Thune gets his way, the proposal would be part of negotiations on a second reconciliation package in 2025.

• The reconciliation process will allow Republicans to pass budget-related measures with a simple majority, avoiding the usual 60-vote filibuster.
• The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on notice Friday after reports seemingly linking the Health and Human Services nominee to an effort to revoke the polio vaccine.

Why it matters: McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, will be an important vote for President-elect Trump's nominees to win over. Kennedy is expected to spend next week on the Hill meeting with senators.

• "Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed — they're dangerous," McConnell said in a statement Friday.
• "Anyone seeking the Senate's consent to serve in the incoming Administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts," he added, without mentioning Kennedy by name.

Driving the news: An ally of RFK Jr. in 2022 petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval of the polio vaccine on the grounds that the agency didn't conduct sufficient safety studies, documents show.

• Kennedy has tried to distance himself from his past anti-vaccine statements.
• But he has stayed close with Aaron Siri, a lawyer who worked on the Kennedy campaign and petitioned the government in 2022 to revoke approval of the polio vaccine, as the New York Times first reported.
• Siri has reportedly been helping vet candidates for other government health jobs.

What he's saying: McConnell cited his experience with polio, saying "From the age of two, normal life without paralysis was only possible for me because of the miraculous combination of modern medicine and a mother's love."

• He cited his effort to work with advocates, including Rotary International and the Gates Foundation.
• "I have never flinched from confronting specious disinformation that threatens the advance of lifesaving medical progress, and I will not today," McConnell said, crediting the polio vaccine for saving millions of lives.

Zoom out: Kennedy's controversial views on vaccines, abortion and other health issues will be front and center when he meets with Republican senators next week as they weigh his confirmation to lead HHS.

• Republicans are set to control 53 Senate seats next year, meaning Kennedy could draw opposition from a few GOPers and still be confirmed.

Go deeper: RFK Jr.'s secret push to prove CIA killed uncle

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is deeply skeptical of some of President-elect Trump's and GOP leadership's aggressive border plans.

Why it matters: He's gaining power next Congress. Paul, an infamous deficit hawk and libertarian, will chair the committee that oversees the Department of Homeland Security.

• Incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune is prioritizing a border package in Trump's first 100 days.
• It is likely to include a huge cash infusion of more than $100 billion into border security and the infrastructure to carry out Trump's mass deportation promises.

💰 But Paul is balking at the early price tag.

• "I'm not a big fan of what Republicans are saying, they're going to spend $100 billion on the border, another $200 billion on military to bust the military caps," Paul told us.
• "I think it's a terrible way to start."

🚨 Paul also has reservations about Trump's plans to use the military to assist with deportations, calling it illegal.

• "If they send the Army into New York and you have 10,000 troops marching, carrying semi-automatic weapons, I think it's a terrible image and I will oppose that," he told CBS News' "Face the Nation" last month.

🧱 Paul even seems to question the idea of heavy investments in more miles of border wall.

• "Walls work in some places, but there's never going to be a contiguous wall on the whole border," Paul said.
• When pressed about more money for deportation or detention — key Trump priorities — Paul said, "Put them back on the other side of the river. Shouldn't cost that much. And we spend an enormous amount."

Between the lines: Paul can't stop the process on his own, but he is known for finding ways to drag out the process.

• He'll also be able to launch Senate investigations.
• Some of the immigration portfolio also goes to the Judiciary Committee, which will be chaired by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

What he's saying: Paul supports Trump's nominee to lead DHS, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who he met with Wednesday. Paul has vowed to move quickly to confirm her in time for Inauguration Day.

• He's pledged to use the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's first hearing to look at resuming Trump's Remain-in-Mexico policy, which forced asylum-seekers to await their court proceedings south of the U.S.-Mexico border.
• He also told colleagues in a letter last month he plans to "restore our committee's rightful place as the oversight body of the Senate."
• "Senate rules give us oversight responsibilities over the entire government, even beyond the agencies under our direct legislative jurisdiction," he said in the letter.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes the CIA had a role in assassinating his uncle, President John F. Kennedy — part of RFK Jr.'s motivation for pushing his daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, for deputy CIA director, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: President-elect Trump feels indebted to RFK Jr., his pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, for his help in the election, and is eager to please him. But there's real drama behind the scenes about whether Fox Kennedy is the right choice for the CIA's No. 2 job.

• RFK Jr. has been telling people that Fox Kennedy — his presidential campaign manager, who is married to his son Bobby Kennedy III — would help get to the bottom of the JFK assassination, two Republican sources told Axios.
• "RFK believes that and wants to get to the bottom of it," one of the sources said, referring to well-worn but unproven theories that the CIA was behind the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy.

Between the lines: If Fox Kennedy were named deputy to John Ratcliffe, Trump's pick for CIA director, she'd be in a position to dig into what the CIA knows about the assassination — and potentially could urge the release of documents. Podcaster Joe Rogan and others have been agitating for that.

• RFK Jr. has real influence. Trump has embraced the former Democrat — viewing him as a symbol of a broadening MAGA coalition and tapping him for his Cabinet.

The backstory: Kennedy has publicly embraced theories about the CIA being involved in the death of both his uncle and his father, Robert F. Kennedy.

• "The evidence is overwhelming that the CIA was involved in the murder and in the cover-up," Kennedy said about his uncle's death in a podcast in May of last year.
• He also said that there is "convincing" but "circumstantial" evidence that the CIA was involved in his father's death, as well.

Trump has promised to release the last of the JFK assassination files.

• In August, just after he was endorsed by RFK Jr., Trump said: "I will establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts, and they will be tasked with releasing all of the remaining documents pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy."

The big picture: Fox Kennedy worked as an undercover agent for the CIA for nearly a decade, and wrote a detailed memoir about her experience.

• She reportedly submitted the memoir to the book publisher without getting sign-off from the CIA's Publication Review Board, stirring controversy within the agency.

What we're hearing: Concerns are already being stirred up over the possibility of Fox Kennedy getting the CIA gig.

• A 2016 clip of an Al Jazeera interview with Fox Kennedy started making the rounds and raising eyebrows over the past 24 hours, four Senate GOP sources told Axios.
• In the clip, Fox Kennedy cites her experience in the CIA and argues for more nuance in the conversation about ISIS. One of her conclusions: "The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them."
• Axios has reached out to Fox Kennedy for comment.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign manager and daughter-in-law Amaryllis Fox Kennedy is making a push to serve as deputy director at the CIA next year — and RFK Jr. is making calls on her behalf, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Fox Kennedy, an integral member of Kennedy's campaign, wrote a memoir detailing nearly a decade working at the CIA. The deputy director position does not require Senate confirmation.

• President-elect Trump, who has signaled plans to try to overhaul U.S. intelligence agencies during his second term, has already named former intelligence director John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA.
• The deputy position is one of the highest-profile intelligence jobs that remains open. Politico reported last month that Kash Patel, who has been tapped for FBI director, and Cliff Sims, a former Trump administration official, were jockeying for the role.
• Fox Kennedy did not respond to Axios outreach for this story.

Zoom in: Fox Kennedy in 2019 published a memoir, "Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA," that provided one of the most detailed personal accounts of life in the agency.

• Fox Kennedy has said she was recruited by the CIA in her early 20s, becoming one of the youngest female officers at the agency.
• She said she was a "nonofficial cover," meaning she posed as a citizen under a fake identity and had no diplomatic protections.

Between the lines: Fox Kennedy reportedly submitted the memoir to the book publisher without getting sign off from the CIA's Publication Review Board, stirring controversy within the agency.

• The board is supposed to approve any material from officers before becoming public to ensure that key intelligence matters remain secret, freelance journalist Yashar Ali reported at the time.

State of play: Fox Kennedy, who took over as Kennedy's campaign manager in October 2023, led his presidential bid as he navigated the arduous task of trying to get on the ballot in all 50 states as an independent candidate.

• Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and backed Trump.
• In November, Trump nominated Kennedy to serve as director of the Department of Health and Human Services.

What they're saying: "President-Elect Trump has made brilliant decisions on who will serve in his second Administration at lightning pace," Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

• "Remaining decisions will continue to be announced by him when they are made."
• A spokesperson for the Kennedy team did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper: Trump's plan to revamp the Justice Department

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) fell on Tuesday while coming out of a regular lunch with Republican senators at the Capitol.

The big picture: McConnell has had multiple health scares in the past few years, including freezing in front of reporters. Medical personnel were seen entering and leaving his office on Tuesday.

• "Leader McConnell tripped following lunch. He sustained a minor cut to the face and sprained his wrist. He has been cleared to resume his schedule," a McConnell spokesperson said in a statement.

Zoom in: McConnell is "fine," incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said at Tuesday's regular GOP press conference.

• McConnell left the lunch Tuesday shortly before he fell in a room that's outside the Senate chamber, incoming Senate GOP whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Axios and other reporters on Tuesday.
• McConnell was able to walk back to his office after the fall, and has a scratch on his face, Barrasso said.

Incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is actively seeking ways to make next year's border and defense package deficit-neutral, if not deficit-negative.

Why it matters: Despite pushback from House Republicans, Thune is full steam ahead on his two-part reconciliation plan for next year, sources tell Axios.

• Top staffers in leadership and committee offices met Friday to start sketching out the logistics of the process.
• Trump adviser Stephen Miller said on Sunday that the border package would be passed by "early February," indicating President-elect Trump's team is on board with the two-part plan.

The border portion of the first reconciliation package — which also includes energy and defense — could be as much as $120 billion, a source familiar told Axios.

• It would go toward wall and border agents but also build out infrastructure at Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Trump's deportation efforts.

Zoom in: After pressure from some Senate Republicans, Thune is gathering ideas for ways to pay for the package likely to include hundreds of billions of dollars for defense and the border — though the exact total is not clear.

• One idea: Overturning President Biden's student loan program, which could free up to $200 billion, sources familiar with the conversations told Axios.
• Some of the package could also be paid for by increased revenue through some of the energy proposals.

What they're saying: "While I support spending restrictions and tax cuts, my top priority — and the first order of business in the Senate Budget Committee — is to secure a broken border," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who will chair that committee come January, posted on X on Monday.

• "The bill will be transformational, it will be paid for, and it will go first," he added.

What to watch: The second proposed package will deal with extending the Trump-era tax cuts and is expected to be far more complicated to work out.

• It's not clear whether Republicans will be as serious about trying to offset the total cost of extending those tax breaks in the same way.

Zoom out: There's still disagreement over Thune's approach within the party.

• Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, has criticized the plan and said he expects just one big reconciliation package next year.
• But senators seem to be backing the idea.

Outgoing Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) went out of his way on Tuesday to praise Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) behind closed doors, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It was a signal to the conference McConnell has led for 18 years that the still-new House speaker should be trusted and supported.

• McConnell plans to wield power as the chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and chair of the Rules Committee.
• Having a productive relationship with Johnson could help him achieve his foreign policy objectives, especially on Ukraine.

Between the lines: McConnell stopped short of endorsing Johnson in his speaker's bid — something he has never waded into.

• But multiple sources in the room noted the leader's decision to speak highly of Johnson.
• McConnell's opinion won't carry much weight in the House — especially with conservatives who could threaten Johnson's speakership. Still, it is a reminder to senators they can find ways to work with and bolster Johnson.

Driving the news: Johnson briefly spoke to Republican senators during their policy retreat, led by incoming Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and incoming GOP policy chair Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

• It was an eventful meeting: President-elect Trump dialed in for a pep-talk and Thune laid out his plans to use two reconciliation packages to pass Trump's agenda.

Before Johnson left, McConnell commended him for how he has handled a difficult job in managing a razor-thin Republican majority in the face of unhappy members, who don't mind deposing their speaker.

• That's high praise from a senator who has also defeated a leadership challenge.

Zoom out: The two GOP leaders are unlikely bedfellows — an institutionalist defense hawk who has had harsh words for Trump vs. a relatively young conservative who rose to power by aligning his policies with Trump's.

• But McConnell has been clear that one of his proudest recent achievements was securing billions of dollars of military aid for Ukraine earlier this year.
• Johnson — at the urging of McConnell — ultimately passed the aid package through the House with help from House Democrats.

The bottom line: Johnson faces a tough leadership reelection in January, with a vocal conservative flank threatening to withhold support.

• Deficit-conscious Republicans are watching closely how Johnson navigates the looming government funding debate this month.

President-elect Trump called in and gave GOP senators a pep talk Tuesday as they met behind closed doors on how to rapidly pass his top priorities, three sources in the room told Axios.

Why it matters: Trump knows he has to work closely with the Senate to get things done. GOP congressional leaders are signaling they're raring to go.

• Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) warned Republican senators Tuesday to expect longer, five-day work weeks — starting in the new year through Easter.
• They have a long list: Fund the government for the rest of the year, agree to a top line budget number and potentially raise the debt limit — not to mention confirm all of Trump's top administration positions.

Zoom in: Thune and incoming GOP Policy Chair Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) held a lengthy policy retreat Tuesday in D.C.

• A major topic: How they plan to use budget reconciliation to pass policy priorities while evading the 60-vote filibuster.
• Thune told senators he plans to move on a reconciliation package within the first 30 days of the new administration. This one would include border, defense and energy policies.
• A second package would be used to address taxes.

What we're hearing: Early in the retreat, Thune addressed senators telling them to gear up for long work days and work weeks to set up Trump's administration and move fast on their own priorities, two sources in the room told Axios.

• Thune told senators to be prepared to work weekends and skip usual recess weeks in the first 100 days, according to a source familiar.
• Votes will no longer be held open indefinitely to give senators time to vote, another move to make the Senate more efficient.
• Many Republican senators have complained about lax work schedules. In a normal week, senators usually arrive at the Capitol late Monday afternoon and fly home Thursday afternoon.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new reporting from the meeting.

Republican senators are prepared to hear out Kash Patel, President-elect Trump's controversial pick to lead the FBI.

Why it matters: The FBI has become enemy No. 1 among Trump allies because of its role in investigating Trump himself. Patel does not have the typical experience for FBI director and has harshly criticized the agency.

• "I do know Kash, and that's why I think he's going to be great," Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said Monday. "We really do need people that will go in and shake up some of these organizations."

Between the lines: Ordinarily, the current FBI director Christopher Wray would remain in his role despite the change in administration.

• But Trump has made clear he wants one of his loyalists in the position — and would fire Wray to do so.

What they're saying: Incoming Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Patel, like all nominees, would get a thorough and fair process.

• Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said he doesn't have any initial concerns about Patel and plans to meet with him.
• When asked about concerns about Patel's qualifications, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters it's why there is a process to "vet all the nominees and give everybody a chance to ask those questions during the hearing."

Zoom out: A group of Senate Republicans met behind closed doors Monday night with embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

• "He's clearly committed to making sure we have a lethal military that scares the crap out of our enemies," said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) after emerging from the meeting.

Conservative senators offered a full-throated defense of embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth after a closed door meeting with him Monday night.

Why it matters: Hegseth is facing fresh reports of financial and sexual misconduct, which could threaten his confirmation.

• While these GOP senators offered clear support for Hegseth, it would take just four moderate Republicans to potentially sink his nomination.
• Hegseth met with 10-12 Republican senators on Monday night. He was joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, though senators told reporters they did not have the opportunity to talk with her.
• The allegations were also not discussed, they said.

What they're saying: Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) emerged with full support for Hegseth to lead the department — praising his vision for military reforms and dismissing the allegations.

• "He's clearly committed to making sure we have a lethal military that scares the crap out of our enemies," Scott said.
• "A year from now, military recruitment numbers will have skyrocketed under Secretary Hegseth," Cruz said. The Texas Republican accused Democrats of being "highly incentivized to make the confirmation hearing a spectacle" and urged the media to "have an equal amount of ink to the actual substance of the job."
• "We were embarrassed by our departure from Afghanistan, and we want to restore American confidence in our military," Lummis said. She added that "all these other issues are side issues."

The big picture: Hegseth will likely have a difficult confirmation process, even as most Senate Republicans are eager to sign off on the people Trump wants in his Cabinet.

• The New Yorker also reported — citing whistleblower reports — that Hegseth was forced to step down from his role in two different veterans groups because of alleged misconduct.

Incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has a new power dynamic to deal with next year, thanks to his members who keep talking directly with President-elect Trump.

Why it matters: Power takes a lot of different forms in the nation's Capitol. Having regular phone calls with Trump ranks high on that list.

• Trump is famous for picking up the phone to personally cut deals, get perspectives or check in with people he trusts, including a dozen or so lawmakers.
• Some Republicans are quick to mention their calls with Trump in closed-door meetings with colleagues or to the press. Others keep their chats on the down low.

The leaders:

• Incoming GOP whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Axios recently he talks to Trump "regularly on a host of different topics." Barrasso joined Trump at a Steelers game last month and has built a strong relationship over the years.
• Outgoing NRSC chief Steve Daines (R-Mont.) told Axios that being able to pick up the phone and talk with Trump will be "very important" next Congress. Daines is close with Thune and tight with Trump.

The diplomats/the long-timers:

• Trump is quick to call Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who served as his ambassador to Japan and was a possible pick to lead the Treasury or State Department, sources say.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has miraculously survived as a Trump confidant longer than almost anyone, despite policy disagreements. His hawkish approach to national defense could be an important counterweight to Vice President-elect Vance's isolationist tendencies.

The dudes:

• Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) — or "Coach" —is also known to be a frequent receiver of Trump calls. The two talk about "football, golf and common sense," one source told Axios, describing their talks as an escape from politics.
• Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who was a top contender to lead the Justice Department, won't tell you about his phone calls with Trump, as a rule. But they happen regularly.
• Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) makes no secret of his frequent yapping with the president-elect — including going to bat for Thune's leadership bid. "I find myself in a very fortunate position," Mullin told reporters last week, saying he counts Speaker Mike Johnson, Thune and Trump as friends. "Any way I can be helpful, I'll be happy to be helpful."

Matt Gaetz's crash to earth as Donald Trump's pick for attorney general has put a new spotlight on Trump's flirtation with recess appointments, in which he'd try to seat top administration officials while Congress wasn't in session to bypass Senate scrutiny.

Why it matters: It would be just the type of power play that Trump has forecast for his second term — but it wouldn't be easy.

• After Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, both chambers of Congress — which will be controlled by Trump's Republicans — would need to agree to adjourn the Senate for at least 10 days. That hasn't been done in more than a decade.
• Trump also could go nuclear, testing the limits of his constitutional power by adjourning Congress himself.

But there would be some major obstacles.

• Republicans will hold a small majorities in both the House and the Senate, so it wouldn't take many dissenters to derail a call for a lengthy recess — especially one aimed at bypassing congressional power.
• In the Senate, where Republicans will have a 53-47 majority — GOP lawmakers concerned about some of the president-elect's picks already are signaling they may not agree to let Trump go around them to get his top officials in place.
• A lot of that reluctance had centered around the much-despised Gaetz before he withdrew Thursday, but even GOP senators have expressed concern about the sexual assault allegations surrounding Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

Zoom in: Some of Trump's most loyal backers in the Senate are reluctant to give up their power to review his nominees.

• Recess appointments are "logistically complicated," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Axios.
• Despite the early signals from Trump, Hawley doesn't expect recess appointments to come into play unless "Democrats try to grind down the process and drag it out."
• "Let us get first our Senate into the majority, hold the hearings, start confirming people... We want to get as many confirmed, as quickly as possible," incoming Senate Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Axios, suggesting the recess option would be a last resort.

Flashback: Recess appointments — which are good for the two-year congressional term in which they're made — aren't new. They've long been used to enable presidents to get around the minority party when the Senate filibuster still required 60 votes to confirm executive branch nominees.

• Senate Republicans helped establish the framework for recess appointments in 2012, when they challenged then-President Obama's push to make appointments to the National Labor Relations Board while lawmakers were out of town.
• Forty-two GOP senators signed court briefs arguing that Obama's appointments were unconstitutional because he made them during three-day breaks in Congress' calendar — which the senators argued didn't count as a "recess."

The Supreme Court unanimously agreed with Republicans, ruling in 2014 that the Senate must break for at least 10 days — with no "pro forma" sessions — for a president to make recess appointments.

• By then, recess appointments were largely irrelevant because Senate Democrats had killed the filibuster on executive branch picks.
• Under the filibuster a nominee used to need 60 votes in the 100-member Senate. Today, nominees only need a majority.

Fast-forward 12 years and Trump is reviving the idea — and trying to get congressional leaders on board.

• Both incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) have pointed to the Supreme Court's ruling when asked whether their thinking had changed since they signed briefs opposing Obama's tactic.
• Thune noted that what Republicans took issue with back in 2012 was Obama installing people while the Senate was still meeting for pro-forma sessions, which isn't the approach Trump is considering.

Zoom out: Trump allies are exploring whether the president — as a very last resort — could use a clause in the Constitution to adjourn Congress even if the Senate doesn't agree to do so.

• The clause allows the president on "extraordinary occasions" to adjourn the House and the Senate if there is a "Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment."
• That could land the Senate in uncharted legal waters.

The bottom line: Senate GOP leaders' strong preference is to go through the regular Senate confirmation process.

• Thune told South Dakota news station KELOLAND News that he wanted to "grind it out the way we normally do it."
• But if Trump's patience on his nominees wears thin, he could try to force Congress' hand.

Matt Gaetz's former congressional colleagues, in both parties, raised a collective cheer Thursday as the onetime Florida congressman withdrew his nomination for attorney general.

Why it matters: Gaetz's decision spares the House from a brutal fight over an Ethics Committee report on him and the Senate from an even bloodier battle over his nomination.

• But the question members were left still asking: Will Gaetz return to be sworn in for his term in the 119th Congress?

What we're hearing: "This is the only decent thing Matt Gaetz has ever done," said one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

• Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) told Axios: "I don't think he was going to make it across the finish line anyway."
• "It settles the matter, we're on to the next one. We've got a lot of work ahead of us ... it's really important we don't lose focus," said Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.).
• "It was the right thing to do," said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).

Yes, but: Plenty of Gaetz's former colleagues were loath to comment.

• "I don't believe in kicking someone while they're down," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).

On the Senate side, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) told reporters: "I respect his decision."

• "There was no path for him, and he knew that," Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) told Axios.
• Mullin added: "I am surprised it happened this quick. But ... it was going to happen. There was no path for him."

Zoom in: Several senior House Democrat told Axios that Gaetz's resignation puts to rest the immediate battle over the Ethics panel's report.

• "That's the end of the fight," said one.
• But Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) signaled plans to move forward with his motion to force a House vote on releasing the report, saying it "remains important that the ... report be made available to the American people."

What to watch: One House Republican predicted that Gaetz's withdrawal is "indicative of what will happen with the other 3 problem nominees."

• Those three: Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, the nominees for defense secretary, health and human services secretary and director of national intelligence, respectively.
• The lawmaker also forecast that Gaetz will have a "significant position" in the Trump administration that will not require Senate confirmation.
• Gaetz said in his resignation letter he does not "intend to" be sworn into another House term. Though there doesn't appear to be any legally binding restriction on him returning to Congress.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

President-elect Trump is demanding that Senate Republicans show up and try to stop Democrats from confirming more judges.

Why it matters: President Biden is now 15 judicial confirmations away from the record set by Trump in his first term.

• Trump posted Wednesday on "X": "The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door. Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!"

Democrats confirmed two more judges on Wednesday by 50-48 margins, with Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Mike Braun (Indiana) missing the votes.

• If they'd voted, Vice President Harris would have been unavailable to break the 50-50 tie as she's currently vacationing in Hawaii.
• Cruz arrived back in D.C. on Wednesday, leaving Braun as the only member still absent.
• The issue came up in a GOP lunch on Wednesday. Senators discussed whether there was a way for him to resign and someone to fill his seat faster. Braun was elected governor of Indiana in November.

"I am very angry – 90% of success in life is showing up," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told reporters.

• "I've got a 4th Circuit nominee that if my colleagues show up on my side I've secured Democratic votes to defeat. That is very personal to me," he said.
• "I had a member ask me, 'Well, when is the vote?' I said, 'When you're not here,'" Tillis told reporters.

Zoom in: Senate Republicans, including incoming Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) are in a showdown over judges with outgoing Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

• Thune unveiled a plan Monday to aggressively defend against Biden's final nominees, Axios has reported.
• Schumer is prepared to grind through that defense with late night and weekend votes.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more reporting.