Vice President JD Vance addressed House Republicans in a closed-door speech on Tuesday at Trump Doral golf course and resort. (Getty Images)
It comes after Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, posted on X that he was not attending the retreat, arguing the event was a waste of time.
"It is being reported I am not at the so-called Republican retreat in Florida. I am not," Roy wrote. "I am in Texas, with my family & meeting with constituents, rather than spending $2K to hear more excuses for increasing deficits & not being in DC to deliver Trump's border security [funding] ASAP."
Roy told Fox News that he could not speak for fellow members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus who were missing from the retreat, adding, "we all have things that we've got to deal with."
"If you're asking me to go spend money to go sit in a resort rather than doing our damn job…no, I'm not going to do that," he said.
Others argued that Roy and others' absence was actively undermining attempts to unify behind a legislative roadmap.
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President Donald Trump addressed the retreat on Monday. (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)
Other Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital while leaving the event also embraced the Ohio Republican's message and him as a messenger.
"He's saying the things about fiscal sanity that we need to hear," Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, said.
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"He's smart as hell, he's eloquent," Murphy said. "Trump really nailed it on that one – he was a great pick."
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tensions-boil-house-gop-retreat-vance-preaches-unity-closed-door-speech-trump-hotel