Trump panic over Republican's shock death spurred last-minute speech to House GOP: expert

President Donald Trump responded to the dwindling lead of GOP congressional leaders in his address to the Republican Party on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN'S chief national affairs correspondent, told anchors Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown that Trump now has a more difficult challenge in the 2026 midterms following news of the sudden death of 65-year-old Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), and a declining number of GOP leaders in the House.

"The bottom line, what he's trying to do is keep Republicans in control of the House majority," Zeleny said. "That's why he is at the Kennedy Center and this is the beginning of a very critical year for President Trump because if Republicans lose their House majority, he knows how the final two years of his term will be. Democrats will be in charge — investigations, oversight."

Trump has considered the next several months and what LaMalfa's death could mean for majority in House, Zeleny said.

"This was not expected. Of course. We send our thoughts to his family and friends, but what it means, politically speaking as well, is now Speaker [Mike] Johnson can only lose two seats," Zeleny said.

"The majority is so small, of course, Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned last evening," he added. "There will be a special election in New Jersey coming up to fill a seat for Mikie Sherrill. If Democrats win that seat, the majority will be down to one. So literally the majority of this House of Representatives is hanging in the balance. But President Trump is there clearly trying to sort of keep spirits high for House Republicans as they try to keep their majority."