Donald Trump congratulated Rep Mike Johnson (R-LA) after he became the fourth Republican nominee for speaker in three weeks, following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Mr Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday morning, a day after he helped end the speakership bid of Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) after just a few hours following his nomination earlier on Tuesday.
“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,” Mr Trump wrote.
“Even the Fake News Media is impressed with what took place yesterday and, more importantly, with the Candidates themselves. Congratulations to Reps. Byron Donalds (Florida), Charles J. ‘Chuck’ Fleischmann (Tennessee), Mark Green (Tennessee), & Roger Williams (Texas), & the ultimate winner of yesterday’s vote, by a significant margin, Mike Johnson (Louisiana),” he added.
“I am 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. In 2024, we will have an even bigger, & more important, WIN! My strong SUGGESTION is to go with the leading candidate, Mike Johnson, & GET IT DONE, FAST! LOVE, DJT” the former president concluded.
This comes after Mr Trump bragged about helping to quash Mr Emmer’s speakership bid, which ended after just four hours on Tuesday.
Mr Trump shared a link to a Politico article with the headline ‘I killed him’: How Trump torpedoed Tom Emmer’s speaker bid.
“He’s done. It’s over. I killed him,” Mr Trump told an ally on Tuesday, according to the outlet.
Mr Trump slammed Mr Emmer on Truth Social earlier on Tuesday.
“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!”
“I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win? The Republican Party cannot take that chance, because that’s not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”
The vote on the House floor on the speakership of the fourth Republican nominee for the top job in the lower chamber is expected at noon on Wednesday.
After three weeks of infighting, backstabbing, and chaotic wrangling, Republicans appear more unified behind Mr Johnson than behind any of those that came before him – including Reps Steve Scalise (R-LA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Tom Emmer (R-MN) – but nothing is certain in this Republican Party.
The House GOP has churned through 14 candidates, and now four nominees – including Mr Johnson – in 22 days since the ouster of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on 3 October.
Late on Tuesday night, Mr Johnson crossed the threshold needed within the Republican conference when he received 128 votes in an internal ballot – far from the 217 votes he needs in a chamber with 433 out of 435 seats currently filled.
