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Donald Trump endorsed Mike Johnson for reelection as House speaker on Monday, a strategic move just one week before Congress is slated to certify his second term as president.
Trump’s thumbs-up for the Louisiana Republican came after days of concerns from some Republicans about Johnson’s ability to manage the fractious House GOP. Those worries spilled out into the open after a pre-Christmas government spending drama that saw Trump ultimately lose out on his biggest demand of the speaker: to address the expiration of the US debt ceiling before he takes office.
The president-elect was frustrated that the final spending bill didn’t tackle the debt ceiling, Semafor was told at the time, and Trump notably stayed quiet after its passage. But he needs the House to elect a speaker on Friday in order to move forward with certifying the presidential election results — and sources close to Trump note that his Johnson endorsement partially stems from an interest in no delays to the election certification.
“He can bury [Johnson] whenever he wants,” one person close to Trump told Semafor. “Get through Jan. 20, get rolling on the border, rack up some wins, and then use the bully pulpit in full force from there on out.”
Notably, Trump backed Johnson at the end of a lengthy Truth Social post about his own presidential win and highlighted that voters “need IMMEDIATE relief from” the current administration.
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If Johnson is reelected as speaker on Friday, his longevity will still depend on how effectively he’s able to manage Trump, as well as the often-competing demands of congressional Republicans.
Depending on the circumstances, Johnson may only be able to afford one lost GOP vote on the floor this week; Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is already a public opponent, while several others are undecided. The House went through 15 ballot rounds before former Rep. Kevin McCarthy won the votes he needed to become speaker two years ago.
Under the current House rules, one GOP member can force a floor vote on ousting the speaker. Republicans have announced an agreement to raise that threshold to nine members. A final approval of that agreement would need majority support in the House in a vote that would come after the speakership race is concluded.
Shelby’s view
If Johnson wins, and Republicans make good on their agreement to raise the threshold for firing a speaker, he can breathe a little easier. But he certainly wouldn’t be guaranteed safety: Should Trump turn on him, given the number of lawmakers already wary of Johnson’s leadership, it wouldn’t be impossible to dislodge him later this year.
It all makes Trump’s backing of Johnson look like nothing more than an exercise in governing. Right now, he needs a House speaker elected on time.
“Trump endorsing Johnson is ‘art of the deal’ level practicality,” former Rep. Matt Gaetz, his first pick for attorney general, noted on X. “We could never have held up McCarthy two years ago for concessions if a Trump certification hung in the balance. Now, it does.”
But down the line, Trump might decide he doesn’t need Johnson anymore — and those close to him are already noting that he might just be biding his time for a better moment to seek a change in the House.