Trump Supports Proxy Voting for New Mothers in Congress: 'Don’t Know Why It’s Controversial'

Donald Trump is not one to shy away from a controversial stance, but this time, he’s wondering why there’s even a debate. The former president announced his support for allowing new mothers in Congress to vote by proxy, a move that puts him in direct opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, "You’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote. I'm in favor of that." He followed up with a line that almost feels like a mic drop: "I don’t know why it’s controversial." Well, when Trump says something isn’t controversial, history suggests it probably is.

Trump’s comments come after discussions with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who has been vocal about the need for proxy voting for new parents. Luna, alongside Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., is spearheading a proposal that would allow new parents to vote remotely for up to 12 weeks while caring for their newborns. With 218 lawmakers already backing the measure, it’s poised to force a vote.

But Johnson isn’t on the same page. Historically, he’s been a staunch opponent of proxy voting, labeling it unconstitutional and criticizing its misuse during COVID under then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. After Trump’s endorsement, though, Luna revealed that Johnson had reached out to her for discussions. In a tweet, Luna said, "@SpeakerJohnson has called me after POTUS statement and we discussed limiting the vote to just new moms who cannot physically travel in event of emergency etc. This is smart." She also pointed out that this type of accommodation has been historically rare, noting only 13 instances throughout U.S. history.

Earlier this week, Johnson attempted to quash the effort, but his plan backfired when nine Republicans joined all Democrats in blocking him with a 206-222 vote. Frustrated by the loss, Johnson canceled all votes for the remainder of the week. Talk about a political time-out.

Luna, however, made it clear that her push for proxy voting isn’t about advancing any specific legislation for the president. She reportedly conveyed this directly to Johnson, emphasizing the proposal’s focus on supporting new parents.

As of now, it’s uncertain whether the issue will return for a vote on the House floor before the April Recess. Both Speaker Johnson’s office and Luna’s office have yet to respond to media requests for comment.