House Speaker Mike Johnson is spending New Year’s Day with President-elect Donald Trump later this week to keep his leadership position.
Johnson told Louisiana’s News Radio 710 KEEL that he would spend the day with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Wednesday.
“We’re going to map out a strategy, and he wanted to take pictures that day and do a lot of backup,” Johnson told the station. story published on Tuesday. “I called him yesterday and said: ‘Mr. President, let’s go ahead and do that’, and he did.”
ABC News has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.
Trump endorsed Johnson on Monday, urging Republicans to come together and “not let go” after he retained control of the House and won a majority in the Senate in November’s election.
Johnson, who angered some in his own party during last month’s legislative battle to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, is likely to lose just one member’s support in Friday’s vote, based on attendance.
While Trump’s endorsement was a victory for Johnson, some hard-line Republicans are still skeptical that he will support his re-election as speaker. One of Johnson’s opponents, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has doubled down that he still has no plans to vote for him even after Trump’s endorsement.
Trump told ABC News White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks on Tuesday night that he believed Republicans would support Johnson, saying he’s “the one who can win right now.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson welcomes President-elect Donald Trump during a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill November 13, 2024 in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
However, Trump suggested dozens of lawmakers “don’t like” Johnson, who rose to the top job last year after Republican infighting ousted historic Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
“I think we’re going to have a great time in Washington, and I think we’re going to get a lot of support, and he’s the one who can win right now. People like him. Almost everybody likes him. Some of the others are really good, too, but there are 30 or 40 people who don’t like him. they have, so it’s pretty tough,” Trump said.
Asked if he was calling other members of Congress on Johnson’s behalf, Trump said he would if needed.
“If necessary, but I really believe, we will have a great time. We will get a successful vote. He is a good man. He is a very wonderful person, and that is what you need”, the president-. he said elected.
By ABC News’ count, about 15 House Republicans are undecided about whether to vote for Johnson.
No one has come forward to challenge Johnson as a public speaker. Indiana GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz, however, told Fox News on Monday that some of her colleagues are interested in the speaker, though she would not name him.
“I hope to have (a speaker) before Jan. 6,” Spartz said. On January 6, the results of the 2024 elections will be certified by Congress.
House Republican leadership made the announcement Wednesday Fox News opinion he also urged his conference to stick together to fulfill Trump’s campaign promises, highlighting the challenges of their narrow House majority.
“The American people cannot afford to wait for relief when their lives and livelihoods are at stake. As Republican leadership in Congress, we have prepared an aggressive plan to remove roadblocks and pave the way for President Trump’s reforms and policy agenda,” he wrote. Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Republican Conference Chair-elect Lisa McClain.
They added, “To realize this vision, we must remain united.”
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
