Congressional Republicans 'don't see a huge appetite' for Trump's push to repeal the CHIPS Act

Source: NBC News

March 5, 2025, 6:33 PM EST


WASHINGTON — In the closing weeks of last year’s presidential campaign, House Speaker Mike Johnson quickly walked back remarks he made while standing alongside a vulnerable Republican member in New York. Johnson had pledged to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act if Donald Trump became president — a position he quickly realized was not popular in battleground districts and could hurt his members’ re-election bids.

“The CHIPS Act is not on the agenda for repeal,” Johnson, R-La., said in a statement that soon followed his October comments. Fast-forward to Tuesday, and Trump, now president, made a request of Johnson on camera during a nationally televised speech before a joint session of Congress: Repeal the CHIPS Act.

“Your CHIPS Act is a horrible, horrible thing,” Trump said, weaving at Democrats after noting a Taiwanese semiconductor company’s recently announced an investment in the U.S. “We give hundreds of billions of dollars, and it doesn’t mean a thing.” “All that was important to them was they didn’t want to pay the tariffs,” Trump continued, before addressing Johnson directly. “You should get rid of the CHIPS Act. And whatever is left over, Mr. Speaker, you should use it to reduce debt. Or any other reason you want to.”

While Johnson proceeded to stand and clap following Trump’s suggestion, the reception on Wednesday from other Republicans was far icier. Though Republicans were aware of Trump’s opposition to the legislation, senior lawmakers weren’t given a heads up that Trump would make those demands during his joint address, and they have no plans to take up a repeal of the law anytime soon.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-trump-push-repeal-chips-act-rcna194910