The Washington Examiner confirmed the Johnson-Netanyahu meeting, scheduled for 1:25 p.m. on Thursday, was derailed after lawmakers had still not returned from the White House from their 11 a.m. confab. The Republicans in attendance arrived just in time for the vote series beginning at 4 p.m., but Netanyahu was seen leaving the Capitol about an hour before that.

Netanyahu was more successful on the Senate side, where he met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and a bipartisan group of senators. The meeting came after Trump shocked both parties when he floated the United States taking ownership of the Gaza Strip, relocating Gaza’s nearly 2 million Palestinian residents, and reconstructing the seaside enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Republicans have had mixed responses to Trump’s comments, while Democrats have blasted the president’s comments as perpetuating “ethnic cleansing.” Thune told reporters Wednesday the president “wants to bring a more peaceful and secure Middle East, and he’s putting some ideas out there.”

Johnson called the announcement a “bold move — certainly far bolder than what’s been done before.”

“The initial announcement yesterday, I think, was greeted by surprise, by many, but cheer by I think, people all around the world. Why? Because that area is so dangerous, and he’s taken bold, decisive action to try to ensure the peace of that region,” Johnson said Wednesday.

The marathon meeting at the White House comes as House Republicans are battling over how to best move forward with reconciliation. The argument over a one- or two-bill approach has fractured some of the conference, with Johnson and other House GOP leaders advocating “one big, beautiful bill” as originally requested by Trump.

Trump has since said he does not care how many bills it takes, so long as his agenda is enacted as quickly as possible.

Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told reporters the meeting was a positive one and that progress was made.

“We stayed there in the Cabinet meeting room for, I don’t know, maybe four hours or longer,” Johnson told reporters. “We got out the whiteboards and we worked out the framework for what we believe will be the path forward.”

The speaker said the goal is to have a budget resolution markup “as early as next week, maybe Tuesday” so that it can pass through the committee and onto the House floor for a full vote. The top line for the budget resolution has been a sticking point, as leaders have identified $1 trillion in cuts while hardliners argue $2 trillion or more is needed.

Members of the Freedom Caucus have said Republicans are “stuck in the mud” and a two-bill approach, their preferred approach, is becoming more likely. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, also supporters of two bills, started to take steps to unlocking reconciliation on their side of Congress — a move Johnson warned against on Thursday.

“Our message to our friends and colleagues in the Senate is allow the House to do its work,” Johnson said. “We are moving this as quickly and as expeditiously as possible. Very positive developments today, and we’re really grateful to the president for leaning in and doing what he does best, and that is put a steady hand at the wheel and get everybody working. And that’s what happened today.”

Republicans were supposed to have a budget resolution markup this week but were unable to do so because lawmakers left the GOP retreat in Florida without the promised “blueprint.” Johnson had set an ambitious goal for Congress to pass the resolution by Feb. 24.

Johnson rescheduled his meeting with Netanyahu for Friday. The prime minister was the first foreign leader to visit Trump’s White House since he started his second administration. Netanyahu has repeatedly praised Trump for the hostage ceasefire deal, though Democrats have pushed back on this and said the credit belongs to former President Joe Biden.