President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his strong support for House Speaker Mike Johnson, endorsing him as he prepares to seek reelection to the speakership this week.
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hardworking, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump announced on Truth Social Monday.
The House is set to vote for a speaker on Friday after the swearing-in of the new Congress. Johnson, who assumed the position in October 2023, faces a slim Republican majority of 219-215, making party unity critical to his reelection bid.
Trump’s endorsement is seen as pivotal for Johnson, especially given some Republican opposition to his recent leadership decisions. In December, 34 Republicans voted against Johnson’s stopgap funding bill, criticizing it as being too favorable to Democrats. This division could pose a challenge in the upcoming vote.
Representative Victoria Spartz, a Republican from Indiana, voiced her reservations, stating on Fox News, “I can give him a chance, but I would like to hear from him how he’s going to deliver this agenda.” Spartz made her comments before Trump’s endorsement was announced.
On the other hand, moderate Republicans like Representative Mike Lawler of New York have cautioned against fracturing party unity. “If they think they’re somehow going to get a more conservative speaker [than Johnson], they’re kidding themselves,” Lawler said during an appearance on ABC’s This Week.
Some lawmakers are also advocating for the establishment of a commission to address the rising national debt, which has surpassed $36 trillion. Proposed solutions include potential cuts to government-run retirement and healthcare programs, though Democrats largely oppose benefit reductions and favor increased taxes on the wealthy.
Even with Trump’s endorsement, Johnson’s reelection is not guaranteed. If just two Republicans defect, his bid could fail. Representative Thomas Massie has reiterated his intent to oppose Johnson, aligning with other right-wing Republicans pushing for deeper domestic spending cuts.
Complicating matters, the House has previously struggled to maintain leadership unity. In 2023, the chamber went three weeks without a speaker after a small group of Republicans ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Failure to elect a speaker could stall legislative business, including the formal certification of Trump’s victory on January 6. The stakes are further heightened as Trump has tapped two House Republicans to join his administration, potentially reducing the party’s narrow majority after his January 20 inauguration.
As the House vote approaches, Johnson faces mounting pressure to consolidate Republican support and secure his leadership role in the tightly divided chamber.
