Trump gives US House Speaker Mike Johnson ‘complete and total endorsement’
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The House is scheduled to elect a speaker - a role currently held by Republican lawmaker Mike Johnson - on Jan 3, following the swearing-in of the new Congress.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - US President-elect Donald Trump on Dec 30 threw his support behind House Speaker Mike Johnson, who will stand for re-election to the top job this week with a slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The House is scheduled to elect a speaker on Jan 3 following the swearing-in of the new Congress.
The endorsement from Trump is essential to Mr Johnson’s hopes of maintaining the leadership position he assumed in October 2023.
The job puts him in a close working relationship with Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan 20.
Thirty-four Republicans voted against Mr Johnson’s stopgap funding Bill
Republicans hold a 219-215 majority in the House, meaning the vote will likely be dependent on Republicans maintaining their unity.
Representative Victoria Spartz, a Republican, said on Fox News on Dec 30 that she remained uncommitted, saying Mr Johnson was afraid to bring up votes on fiscal legislation that could hamper Trump’s agenda.
“I can give him a chance, but I would like to hear from him how he’s going to be delivering this agenda,” Ms Spartz said. She spoke before Trump posted his endorsement on social media.
Moderate New York Republican Representative Mike Lawler on Dec 29 told ABC-TV’s This Week programme: “The fact is that these folks are playing with fire, and if they think they’re somehow going to get a more conservative speaker (than Mr Johnson) they’re kidding themselves.”
Some lawmakers are urging the creation of a commission to examine ways to bring down escalating US budget deficits and a national debt that has topped US$36 trillion (S$48 trillion), by possibly trimming spending on government-run retirement and healthcare programmes.
Democrats oppose reducing those programmes’ benefits and have called for shoring up their fiscal condition largely through higher taxes on the wealthy.
Given Republicans’ narrow majority, if as few as two were to vote for someone other than Mr Johnson, it could doom his bid to continue as speaker.
Prior to Trump’s endorsement, Republican Representative Thomas Massie on Dec 30 reiterated his intention to oppose Mr Johnson’s election. He and other right-wing Republicans have pushed for deep domestic spending cuts.
No other Republican has publicly challenged Mr Johnson for the leadership position but lawmakers have wide latitude to cast votes for whoever they want, including citizens who are not members of the House.
The chamber went three weeks without a speaker in 2023 after a small group of Republicans voted to oust then-speaker Kevin McCarthy.
If Mr Johnson – or another Republican – is unable to coalesce a majority of support, the chamber could be without a speaker in time for the official certification of Trump’s victory on Jan 6, sparking an uncertain path forward as it is difficult for the House to do business without a speaker.
Whoever ultimately does obtain the speaker’s gavel likely will have to temporarily govern with even a tighter majority after Trump’s Jan 20 inauguration, as he has picked two House Republicans to join his administration. REUTERS
