GOP left completely in the dark as Trump announces ‘comprehensive crime bill’ that doesn’t exist

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is working with Republican congressional leaders on a “comprehensive crime bill.” The announcement came through a post on his Truth Social platform where he said Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune were helping him craft the legislation.

Trump described the bill as “what our Country need, and NOW!” and promised “More to follow.” However, he did not provide any details about what the comprehensive legislation would include or when it might be ready for Congress to vote on.

GOP lawmakers, including members of leadership and key congressional committees, found themselves puzzled by Trump’s declaration. According to reports by The New York Times, seven Republicans granted anonymity to speak candidly said they don’t know “what comprehensive measure” the president is talking about. The lawmakers were left scratching their heads as they tried to understand what Trump had in mind.

Republicans scramble to understand Trump’s latest legislative push

The confusion among Republican lawmakers is reminiscent of a similar situation that occurred in 2018. Just weeks before the midterm elections, Trump announced that he and congressional Republicans were working “around the clock” on a “very major” bill to cut middle-class taxes. The legislation was supposed to be ready by November 1, five days before the elections. However, the bill did not exist, and even White House officials were mystified by Trump’s claim at the time.

According to Politico, Trump did speak with House Speaker Johnson about extending his current temporary control over Washington D.C. police. Johnson reportedly supports this move. However, extending a local deadline is very different from creating a comprehensive crime bill for the entire country.

The president’s announcement comes as he has made fighting crime a central focus of his second term. He has deployed more than 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington D.C. and signed executive orders targeting cashless bail policies. Trump has also threatened to send federal troops to other Democratic-led cities like Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. His administration claims these actions are necessary to combat what Trump calls high rates of violent crime, though city officials dispute these claims and point to police data showing crime has actually fallen. Congress last passed a major crime bill in 1994 under President Bill Clinton, which funded 100,000 new law enforcement officers and spent $9.7 billion on prisons.

While Trump’s crime-focused agenda remains popular with his base, the lack of concrete details about this new legislation has left even his Republican allies confused. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has already said there is “no f***ing way” he would agree to extend Trump’s crime emergency declaration for Washington D.C. The president faces a tight timeline, as his current authority over D.C. police is set to expire on September 9, just one week after Congress returns from its August recess.