Massie, Johnson Plan to Call House, Senate Into Session Every Five Days During August Recess

Sarah Arnold | July 25, 2025 10:00 PM

During the August recess, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) are reportedly taking a strategic move and calling the House and Senate into pro-forma sessions every four to five days—sessions with virtually no lawmakers present—solely to prevent President Donald Trump from making recess appointments. The Constitution gives the president the ability to temporarily appoint someone to an office while the Senate is not in session.

"During August recess, Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune plan to call the House and Senate into session every four or five days, with practically no one there, for the sole purpose of preventing Trump from making recess appointments. Here was today’s House “pro-forma” session," Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) claimed.

During August recess, Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune plan to call the House and Senate into session every four or five days, with practically no one there, for the sole purpose of preventing Trump from making recess appointments. Here was today’s House “pro-forma” session: pic.twitter.com/sK1tZTCdYQ
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 25, 2025

A spokesperson said that Massie's comments were nothing more than a fact he's bringing to people's attention with his social media post. The lawmaker's remarks come at a time when Johnson has thrown shade at Massie for opposing Trump measures such as the One Big Beautiful and siding with Democrats to demand the release of the Epstein files.

I see some people are excited @realDonaldTrump can make recess appointments to fill out his staff now that Congress has recessed for August.

Bad news: @SpeakerJohnson and Leader Thune plan to convene-and-adjourn every 4 or 5 days to block Trump from making those appointments.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 24, 2025