By Marianna Sotomayor, Mariana Alfaro, Meryl Kornfield · The Washington Post (c) 2024
President-elect Donald Trump gave House Republican lawmakers a directive on Monday, days before what is expected to become an embattled speakership fight: Support Mike Johnson’s reelection.
In a lengthy post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump argued that Republicans should “NOT BLOW THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN” by voters to immediately govern, which would require Johnson (R-Louisiana) to be swiftly reelected as House speaker to wield the gavel on Friday.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“Thank you, President Trump! I’m honored and humbled by your support, as always,” Johnson said on social media, shortly after blasting out Trump’s endorsement via a press release. “Together, we will quickly deliver on your America First agenda and usher in the new golden age of America. The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let’s get to work!”
Johnson needs the support of 218 lawmakers to be reelected speaker. That support must come from his Republican conference, given that Democrats will back Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) for the role.
Starting the year with just a 219-seat majority – following the resignation last month of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) – Johnson can lose support from only one Republican to win the speakership. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) has already pledged to vote against him, meaning that Johnson must win over all remaining Republicans.
House Republicans have said for weeks that Trump would have the final say on whether Johnson keeps the gavel or is replaced. His endorsement is significant as it signals to House Republicans to stay in line and back Johnson, who began losing support from several corners of the GOP conference during negotiations on how to fund the government earlier this month.
It also blunts significant efforts by some in the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which was mulling trying to replace Johnson with another Republican leader. It’s unclear whether these members will rebuff Trump’s endorsement and continue to press Johnson for concessions in exchange for their support.
Several members of the Freedom Caucus expressed their disappointment in Johnson’s negotiations of the latest funding bill, making the pathway difficult for Johnson to clinch the necessary support he needs with a thin majority.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Maryland), the caucus chairman, said last week that he is “undecided” about who should lead House Republicans in the next Congress, while Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) echoed other caucus members on Friday that he is not committing to supporting Johnson and is “going to keep my options open.”
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida) told Fox News on Sunday that while he thinks Johnson would be “a great speaker,” some of his colleagues are holding back from supporting him publicly ahead of Friday’s vote to make demands of Johnson.
“People understand in the House that this is an opportunity for them to negotiate,” he said.
During a Fox News appearance, Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee, told Fox News on Sunday that Trump should call those House Republicans refraining from voicing support for Johnson to get them in line.
“I strongly encourage Donald Trump to get on the phone with those five or six members who won’t commit to voting for Mike Johnson, because all this is going to do is delay us,” he said. “It’s going to delay the certification of President Trump’s election. It’s going to delay the start of his first 100 days in office, which is the most important time frame of his whole presidency.”