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Former President Donald Trump offered House Speaker Mike Johnson guidance Thursday on retaining his leadership position in the upcoming Congress.
Johnson’s role as Speaker faces uncertainty following his attempt to advance a controversial spending bill, which drew criticism from both Trump and Elon Musk, who Trump has appointed to oversee government spending reduction.
Republicans CANNOT allow millions of Americans devastated by the historic hurricane season, or our struggling farmers, go without the help they desperately need.
We will decide FY25 spending in March, when Trump is back in the WH and Republicans control the Senate and House. pic.twitter.com/f8OpQleOoJ
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) December 18, 2024
While Trump’s suggestions for Johnson appear reasonable, implementing them could prove challenging given the looming possibility of a government shutdown before the holiday season.
In a conversation with Fox News’s Brooke Singman, Trump stated, “If the speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker.”
Trump further emphasized, “Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible.”
Republican opposition to Johnson is growing. Given the slim Republican majority in the House, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote in January to maintain his position.
Punchbowl reported Wednesday evening on Johnson’s precarious position:
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) already said he wouldn’t back Johnson for speaker. Massie had been leaning that way but said this latest CR debacle was a “tipping point.”
Senator Kennedy Urges Trump to Take Charge of House GOP After Speaker Johnson’s CR Debacle
SENATOR KENNEDY: "I saw what you saw. I mean, it's a multiple vehicle pileup. I knew as soon as I saw the bill, it was going to be trouble. The thing was as big as a Costco. And Speaker… pic.twitter.com/DCxDqcPtII
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) December 19, 2024
And we hear from multiple sources there are more Republicans – at least two – who are in Massie’s camp. Some Johnson critics are already privately floating names behind the scenes of alternatives they’d prefer for speaker, such as House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan or House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Jordan and Emmer both ran for speaker after the conference ousted Kevin McCarthy. They both lost. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise could also be in the mix.
Arizona GOP Rep. Eli Crane told us he was “undecided” about voting for Johnson and confirmed there’s talk behind the scenes about a potential alternative. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) is leaning “no,” we’re told. Reps. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) have been non-committal. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) is always a wild card.
