Vance preaches unity as tensions boil at House GOP retreat over MIA lawmakers

DORAL, Fla. — Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to stick together during a closed-door meeting at the House GOP annual issues conference on Tuesday, as tensions simmer over some lawmakers’ decisions to skip the multi-day event.

House Republicans are at President Donald Trump’s golf course and resort in Doral, Florida, for three days of discussions on how to execute his legislative agenda. 

Vance addressed the gathering on Tuesday in a speech that acknowledged the differences of opinion across the Republican conference, while imploring them to find a way to overcome those divisions and “be good” to one another, two lawmakers in the room told Fox News Digital.

Those fractures flared up a short while later, however, when two lawmakers stood up to criticize colleagues who were not attending the event during the question and answer portion of Vance’s appearance, two other sources said.

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Vice President JD Vance addressed House Republicans in a closed-door speech on Tuesday at Trump Doral golf course and resort. (Getty Images)

It comes after Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, posted on X that he was not attending the retreat, arguing it was a waste of time.

“It is being reported I am not at the so-called Republican retreat in Florida. I am not,” Roy wrote. “I am in Texas, with my family & meeting with constituents, rather than spending $2K to hear more excuses for increasing deficits & not being in DC to deliver Trump’s border security [funding] ASAP.”

Roy told Fox News that he could not speak for fellow members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus who were missing from the retreat, adding, “We all have things that we’ve got to deal with.”

“If you’re asking me to go spend money to go sit in a resort rather than doing our damn job… no, I’m not going to do that,” he said.

Others argued that Roy and others’ absence was actively undermining attempts to unify behind a legislative roadmap.

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Rep. Chip Roy missed the GOP gathering in Florida. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“Sadly enough, we have people sitting at home complaining about the meeting on Twitter, and they’re the ones who’d rather complain, attack, argue, than be part of the solution,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “We know who they are. We just have to deal with it.”

With a razor-thin margin in the House, Republicans must vote in virtual lockstep to pass any legislation without Democratic support.

One lawmaker said Vance embraced a “team message” during his speech and “recognizes there will be differences, but we must come together once debate is over.”

Vance also told Republicans that Trump wants to raise the debt limit, something he will have to contend with this year, without support from or leverage by Democrats, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told reporters after the meeting. 

President Donald Trump addressed the retreat on Monday. (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)

Other Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital while leaving the event also embraced the Ohio Republican’s message and him as a messenger.

“He’s saying the things about fiscal sanity that we need to hear,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, said.

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“He’s smart as hell, he’s eloquent,” Murphy said. “Trump really nailed it on that one – he was a great pick.”