Republicans advised to avoid in-person town halls after confrontations over cuts go viral

WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are again being advised against holding in-person town halls after several instances of lawmakers being berated by attendees went viral.

The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the Hill committee that works to get Republicans elected to the House, told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that there were more efficient ways to reach constituents than in-person town halls, according to two sources in the room.

The chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., compared the moment to 2017, when a series of GOP town halls made headlines after angry attendees confronted lawmakers.

A committee spokesperson, Mike Marinella, declined to comment. Marinella has previously referred to protests at town halls as "manufactured productions, orchestrated to distract voters from the Democrats’ failed and out of touch record."

Separately, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said today that House Republicans were encouraging members to “communicate directly with their constituents” in telephone town halls and small groups rather than open forums.

“They’re professional protesters,” Johnson said, though there is not evidence to back up the claim. “So, why would we give them a forum to do that right now? The best thing that our members can do is communicate directly, frequently, consistently, with their constituents, and there are other avenues to do it.”

Hudson's and Johnson's cautions against in-person town halls are just the latest warnings by top Republican leaders about participating in the events, which give constituents the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns. Hudson also claimed without evidence that the disruptions were from paid protesters.

NBC News has previously reported that House GOP leaders have urged lawmakers to stop engaging in town halls, according to a GOP aide. Party leaders have also suggested that lawmakers instead participate in tele-town halls or vet attendees, according to GOP sources.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., faced strong criticism from attendees at a town hall at a local Kansas hospital last weekend who were angry with the Department of Government Efficiency.

In videos obtained by NBC News, Marshall argued that DOGE employees had been vetted, prompting boos and jeers from the crowd. Later, Marshall argued that the audience has been "fed so much information," prompting another outburst from the attendees.

Shortly before the end of the town hall, one attendee criticized the job cuts, including the firing of veterans. Sweeping federal worker cuts have affected veterans, who comprise about 30% of the federal workforce, according to publicly available data.

Marshall then left the town hall, citing other obligations. As he left, attendees booed and yelled that he had not completed the full hour he said he would stay.

Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, also faced criticism at a Saturday town hall. A video posted to X by the Collin County GOP showed attendees booing Self and chanting "vote you out." Collin County GOP attributed the scene to Democrats, but the party of the attendees is unclear.

Progressive groups have previously pushed for their members to attend town halls. It is unclear if those initiatives influenced these attendees to join the events.

Democrats criticized Republicans' cautions against in-person town halls.

"So House Republicans’ political strategy is ‘see no families nor workers,’ ‘hear no protesters,' ‘speak to no one’ and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans’ health care? Got it," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton in a statement.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin took aim at Marshall's town hall as well, saying in a weekend statement that "it comes as no surprise that Republicans like Roger Marshall are hiding from their own constituents, because Americans are rightfully furious about what's happening in Washington right now."

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the town halls, claiming in a Monday post to his social media site, Truth Social, that people were being paid to cause trouble, although there is no evidence to suggest that.

Marshall later reposted Trump's comment, writing, "can confirm."