Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told The Hill that he and his fellow Republican colleagues "don’t feel like we should negotiate with our hostage” with respect to the debt ceiling talks between the Democrats, the Biden administration, and Republican congressmen. He was referring to the House passed GOP spending reduction measures in exchange for raising the debt ceiling bill, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023. In the Florida congressman's opinion, Republicans should insist the formulation that this bill advocates as the basis for negotiations.

"My conservative colleagues for the most part support, ‘Limit, Save, Grow,’ and they don’t feel like we should negotiate with our hostage," the lawmaker said. Gaetz is no stranger to negotation as he was the one who got Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to concede a variety of measures like the one man motion to vacate rule in exchange for handing McCarthy the House speakership. On that topic, he commented, "I believe the one-person motion to vacate has given us the best version of Speaker McCarthy, and I think he’s doing a good job."

Mr. Gaetz, however, denied rumors that he or any of his colleagues were plotting to remove McCarthy from the speakership due to mass discontent. The Florida lawmaker wrote on Twitter that "[l]iterally nobody except the press is talking about removing McCarthy right now." 

Literally nobody except the press is talking about removing McCarthy right now. https://t.co/aYMwI0Wfnf

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) May 22, 2023

He also tweeted a remark from a fellow Republican, Lauren Boebert (R-CO), that was in praise of McCarthy's handling of the debt negotiations. He wrote "'The Speaker has done a really, really great job.'...on [Speaker McCarthy]'s debt limit messaging on Bannon’s War Room." 
 

“The Speaker has done a really, really great job.” - @RepBoebert on @SpeakerMcCarthy’s debt limit messaging on Bannon’s War Room

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) May 23, 2023

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Biden Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen warned that the time limit to reach an agreement may be before June 1st, after which the US is at risk of defaulting on its debt. Republicans like Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) made the case for the consequences if a blank check given to spending to the Biden administration. He wrote, "I continue to urge the President to negotiate with [Speaker McCarthy] and find a bipartisan solution to the debt crisis. If we continue down the current spending path without reforms, we will end up spending nearly $100 billion/month in interest payments alone on our debt."
 

I continue to urge the President to negotiate with @SpeakerMcCarthy and find a bipartisan solution to the debt crisis. If we continue down the current spending path without reforms, we will end up spending nearly $100 billion/month in interest payments alone on our debt. pic.twitter.com/HmceJfAyWv

— Rep. Kevin Kiley (@RepKiley) May 24, 2023

Speaker McCarthy also made the case to return to sustainable debt levels. He tweeted, "The federal government is collecting more money than at any time in history. But when the Democrats controlled everything over the last two years, they spent way more than ever before. That's why we have to tackle America's debt crisis now—before it's too late."
 

The federal government is collecting more money than at any time in history. But when the Democrats controlled everything over the last two years, they spent way more than ever before.

That's why we have to tackle America's debt crisis now—before it's too late. pic.twitter.com/vvjDnYPiBI

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 25, 2023

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) warned that even if Biden made a deal with McCarthy, Democratic congresspersons would not necessarily automatically support this deal. He said that "It’s a miscalculation to assume that simply any agreement that House Republicans are able to reach will, by definition, trigger a sufficient number of Democratic votes — if that agreement undermines our values."