WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump returned to Washington Thursday to meet with GOP lawmakers to lay out his second-term agenda and aim to unify the party ahead of next month’s Republican National Convention.
The private meetings were held at the Capitol Hill Club, where Republican lawmakers could demonstrate solidarity with their presidential nominee.
It was Trump’s first public visit to Capitol Hill since the Jan. 6, 2021, riots there.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Thursday spoke and shook hands with former President Trump during a meeting at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the first time the two leaders have spoken since their falling out in 2020.
“We had a really positive meeting. He and I got a chance to talk a little bit, shook hands a few times,” McConnell told reporters after the meeting.
“It was an entirely positive meeting,” he added. “I can’t think of anything out of it to tell you that was negative.”
McConnell and other senators said Trump received several standing ovations.
Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, who attended the meeting, said Trump spoke “favorably” about McConnell and praised the Senate GOP leader’s efforts to keep the Republican conference as unified as possible.
Trump’s first visit since New York hush money case
Thursday’s meetings will also mark the first time Trump will meet with House GOP members since a jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money case, making him the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime.
He faces sentencing in less than a month, just days before the Republican National Convention.
Thursday’s gathering will focus on quieting any friction within the party and rallying behind their nominee.
What are Democrats saying about this?
The chair of the House Democratic caucus has accused Republicans of “bending the knee” to Trump with this visit, claiming they are falling in line behind him.
“This is just another example of House Republicans bending the knee to Donald Trump,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
Both protesters and supporters of Trump may be seen as the meetings commence Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.