Trump Backs Rep. Mike Johnson for Speaker

Former President Donald Trump boards his private airplane, also known as Trump Force One, as he departs Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after being booked at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta on Aug. 24, 2023. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump urged House Republicans on Wednesday to rally swiftly behind Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), who became the latest nominee for speaker of the House on Tuesday night.

President Trump weighed in via an Oct. 25 post to Truth Social after House Republicans completed their fourth speaker nomination vote since Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted, praising each of the five candidates who put forth their names.

“Congratulations to Congressional Republicans! Yesterday was a big and very important day. It gave us a quick and easy way forward with 5 candidates who are beyond reproach, and represent the absolute best there is in the Republican Party.

“Even the Fake News Media is impressed with what took place yesterday and, more importantly, with the Candidates themselves,” he said.

The president went on to congratulate the candidates, including Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), and whom he called the “ultimate winner of yesterday’s vote and GOP candidate,” Mr. Johnson.

President Trump said he was not going to make an endorsement in this race, because “I COULD NEVER GO AGAINST ANY OF THESE FINE AND VERY TALENTED MEN, all of whom have supported me, in both mind and spirit, from the very beginning of our GREAT 2016 Victory.”

The former president ended his comments saying, “My strong SUGGESTION is to go with the leading candidate, Mike Johnson, & GET IT DONE, FAST!”

Trump Against Emmer

President Trump previously came out on Oct. 24 against the bid of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) after saying he wouldn’t get involved in who became the next Speaker of the House.

In his previous post, President Trump said, “I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Mr. Emmer announced his withdrawal from the race after failing to secure the 217 votes needed to become the speaker late on Oct. 24.

The former president went on to assert that Mr. Emmer “actually spent more time defending Ilhan Omar, than he did me—He is totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters.”

Currently, lawmakers are expected to vote on Mr. Johnson in the fourth round of voting on Oct. 25. Mr. Johnson, 51, was nominated with 128 votes after three rounds of voting behind closed doors on Tuesday night.

The vote brings lawmakers closer to ending their three-week void of a speaker, although, as the previous weeks have demonstrated, the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.

Mr. Johnson promised to restore America’s trust in Congress and implement government reform.

“I’m honored to have the support of my colleagues,” Mr. Johnson told reporters. “This is servant leadership. We’re going to serve the people of this country. We’re going to restore their faith in this Congress, this institution of government. America is the last best hope of man on the earth.”