WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly altered his position on a Senate-passed measure to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, deferring a House vote until at least mid-April. His shifting stance highlights the challenges he faces in leading a narrow and divided Republican majority, a persistent theme throughout his tenure.

Last Friday, Speaker Johnson publicly dismissed the Senate bill, which lacked funding for immigration enforcement, as inadequate. By Wednesday, however, he had issued a joint statement with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) endorsing the deal. Yet, early Thursday morning, Johnson opted not to bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote, seemingly to avert potential resistance from hard-right Republicans that could either block its passage or trigger a move to oust him from the speakership.

Later on Thursday, Johnson engaged in a heated conference call with House Republican colleagues, privately attempting to persuade them to support the agreement he had recently criticized. This effort reportedly failed, leaving no immediate plans for the House to reconvene to consider the bill. The uncertainty surrounding a vote on the homeland security measure persists.

The Speaker's changes in approach are seen as a reflection of his leadership style, which is heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump. Johnson has positioned his speakership as a means to advance Trump's agenda and relies on the former president to unify his party on difficult votes. This reliance, coupled with the House's slim Republican majority, grants substantial power to individual lawmakers who can obstruct legislative efforts.

President Trump has also demonstrated varying positions on immigration enforcement and the shutdown. He initially engaged in negotiations with Democrats on enforcement restrictions for a spending bill, later rejected such compromises, then indicated he would consider a deal, condemned it upon its emergence, and finally signaled through an aide that he would sign it. Speaker Johnson's policy shifts have often mirrored those of the former president.

Senate Republicans, meanwhile, forged a bipartisan deal with Democrats to end the shutdown. This agreement proved contentious among many conservatives and presented Speaker Johnson with limited favorable options. Had he pushed the Senate-passed plan forward, he would have risked angering ultraconservatives, a faction capable of initiating a vote to remove him. A previous attempt to oust Johnson in May 2024 failed when Democrats provided support, but such backing is unlikely now. Under House rules, nine Republicans can collectively trigger a motion to vacate the speaker's position, an effort that would likely garner broad Democratic support.

In an effort to rally support for the deal among House Republicans, Johnson invoked the White House's backing. The Office of Management and Budget sent a memo to GOP lawmakers to address concerns, and Trump's budget chief, Russell T. Vought, participated in Thursday's conference call to field questions. Speaker Johnson has not publicly explained his policy shifts, but sources close to Republican leadership suggest they concluded the Senate deal had put them in a difficult position by conceding ground to Democrats.