Donald Trump hit on a number of safe Republican themes during his speech: tax reform, protecting the 2nd Amendment, repealing Obamacare, and the likelihood the next president will determine the balance of power on the Supreme Court. | Getty 200 House Republicans show up to meet Trump The presumptive nominee was notably restrained as he tried to reassure nervous Republicans.

House and Senate Republicans came face-to-face Thursday morning for the first time with Donald J. Trump.

Most seemed to like what they saw, though there were few new converts to his cause.


With his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in attendance, the billionaire real estate tycoon met with the full House GOP conference at RNC headquarters. The gathering came as rank-and-file Republicans are trying to suppress their displeasure with his controversial campaign and rally behind Trump before the GOP convention this month.

Sources in rhe room there was a "full house" for the meeting, with at least 200 lawmakers attending as conservative CNBC commentator Larry Kudlow introduced the presumptive nominee.

A mostly restrained and deferential Trump hit on a number of safe Republican themes during his speech: tax reform, protecting the 2nd Amendment, repealing Obamacare, and the likelihood the next president will determine the balance of power on the Supreme Court. He preached unity and bashed both Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Trump referred to Bill Clinton's meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch just as the Justice Department was winding down its investigation of Hillary Clinton's email practice as "Tarmac-gate," saying that it shows the Clintons' "poor judgment." And he seemed willing to work with rank-and-file Republicans on their policy agenda.

Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who has clashed openly with Trump on several occasions, even joked about their differences in opinion.

Yet Trump also strayed into an area that Republicans didn't like, raising the issue of his public praise for the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists. Trump blamed the media for taking his remarks out of context, and he warned the lawmakers to be careful in speaking to reporters, prompting laughter in the room.

Trump was also asked about his comments raising concerns about a federal judge of Mexican descent overseeing the Trump University lawsuit case. "The Hispanics love me!" Trump responded.

After the House session, Trump went to the National Republican Senatorial Committee office to meet with 41 of the 54 GOP senators; 30 of them entered through the front door in front of TV cameras and liberal protestors. The focus was messaging and running alongside incumbent Republican senators.

"Anytime you have the vast majority of the Republican Senate Conference come to a meeting early and stay late, it's a good meeting," said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), a Trump backer, said the House session helped the GOP Conference begin to unite, and he predicted more lawmakers would go public in their support for the presumptive nominee.

"We realize not everybody got their candidate. And we realize it's slow wounds to heal. But I think it's healing," DesJarlais said. "By the convention, you will see a big uptick for Trump."

On the Hussein controversy, DesJarlais said Trump explained that he felt that the media twisted what he said, and Trump knows Hussein was a murderous tyrant.

"Trump has a very unique lack of filter when he speaks. Often he has to explain what he meant, not what he said," DesJarlais added.

Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) said Trump vowed to limit his Supreme Court nominees to a list he released in May in a bid to coalesce the party, with a few possible additions.

"He kind of looked at [Ryan and] said, 'If you want me to limit what I'm saying, who I'd appoint, to this definitive list, then I'd like 15,'" Rigell said. "But he would agree to that."

So far, Trump has released a list of 10 potential justices.

Party leaders praised Trump after the members-only session.

GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) released a statement calling the meeting "a productive opportunity for Mr. Trump and House Republicans to unify around their shared goal for November: bringing new leadership to the White House and doing all we can to defeat Hillary Clinton."

She said Trump took questions from about 20 lawmakers over roughly 40 minutes. "For many, it was their first introduction, and it was a positive step toward winning in the fall," McMorris Rodgers said.

However, some Trump critics were not swayed.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said he's still not ready to support Trump, at least not yet.

"There was a lack of enthusiasm, you could feel it," Kinzinger said. Asked to describe the meeting, Kinzinger said it was "typical Donald Trump."

Kinzinger also said Trump brought up Hussein up on his own: "It was awkward. It was really awkward."

"He complained a lot about the media. Shocking," added Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.).

A number of members planned to skip the gathering, telling POLITICO they had prior engagements — a doctor’s appointment, a breakfast meeting, committee hearings — that prevented them from seeing their presumptive nominee in person.

After a bizarre Wednesday evening speech — Trump defended at length his use of a six-pointed star resembling the Star of David in a Twitter post attacking Hillary Clinton, prompting claims of anti-Semitism from Democrats — he needed to reassure rank-and-file Republicans that he is not leading them to electoral disaster in November.

Trump met privately in early May with Ryan and House GOP leaders at Priebus’ request. The presumptive nominee wanted to defuse his tense standoff with Ryan; the two differ on everything from policy priorities to style.

Trump on Thursday was among friends and foes alike. Among those welcoming him were Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and DesJarlais, his top Capitol Hill surrogates who have gently nudged House Republicans toward accepting Trump.

But others, including lawmakers on the far-right flank, believe Trump is less than a fully-committed conservative.



The House Freedom Caucus for months has been seeking an audience with Trump in informal talks with his campaign. Most of their members want to press him on his conservative bona fides, though a few of them are Trump surrogates and have tried to set up the meeting. So far, Trump's campaign hasn't scheduled a session, and discussions about doing so during his current visit didn't pan out.

Republicans find themselves grappling with Trump’s policy stances on trade and immigration, which run counter to everything they stand for. Many dislike that he wants to close off borders, and they abhor the idea of a religious test for entering this country, such as Trump’s hugely controversial call for a ban on Muslim immigration.

More recently, House Republicans have found themselves at odds with their nominee on the issue of guns in the wake of the Orlando shooting.

Trump came out supporting a Democratic pitch to bar people on the “No fly” list from getting guns, only to backtrack after meeting with the National Rifle Association.

Despite the policy differences, though, House Republicans — and their like-minded companions around the nation — are realizing they need to unite, especially in light of Clinton's ongoing problems surrounding her handling of classified material.

Shane Goldmacher contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Trump's wife attended the meeting with House Republicans. His daughter attended.