Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is cementing his place in President-elect Trump’s internal orbit, turning into not solely a visual — if barely out-of-place-looking — a part of his entourage, however a key supporter of his no-holds-barred method to his second time period.
The dynamic is organising the Speaker to be essential to Trump’s success in his first months in workplace, each in ushering via his agenda and placing implicit stress on congressional Republicans to rubber-stamp Trump’s controversial nominees and legislative plans.
The Speaker’s significance in MAGA World was on full show at a UFC combat at Madison Sq. Backyard on Saturday night time, when he was a part of a parade of allies that accompanied Trump. The crew included Elon Musk; Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s decide for director of nationwide intelligence; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., his Well being and Human Companies secretary alternative; and Donald Trump Jr.
The distinction between the mild-mannered, conservative Christian, self-described “nerdy constitutional law guy” and the remainder of the tough-guy Trump crew was stark.
In response to a selfie Johnson snapped at Saturday’s UFC combat with musical artists Child Rock and Jelly Roll — the latter of whom has face tattoos — web jokers in contrast Johnson “sheltered evangelical kid who went to a secular concert with his public school friends,” and to “the chess club president who got invited to hang with the football team.”
However Trump and Johnson have the shared curiosity of shortly pushing via laws to increase the tax cuts handed in Trump’s first time period, amongst different priorities, which Johnson has been planning with Trump and Senate Republicans for months.
“The President and Speaker are two very different personalities, but they have the exact same goal and passion to advance an America First policy agenda that will get our country back on track,” mentioned Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), the chair of the Home Price range Committee who’s shut with Johnson. “Mike is a committed Christian and policy wonk, but that doesn’t mean he just sits in his room all day praying and studying policy memos — he is one of the funniest guys I know and loves being with people of all walks of life.”
Arrington famous that Johnson’s sons had been concerned in martial arts.
“For the Speaker, however, the pen is mightier than the sword … or rear naked choke!” Arrington mentioned.
Johnson’s expertise are usually not restricted to the pen. He has additionally confirmed to be a key messenger for Trump’s agenda on tv and different media, which Trump extremely values — and in doing so, planted a flag on the facet of Trump in controversial legislative issues.
The morning after the UFC combat, Johnson was on the Sunday information reveals, defending Trump’s positions and giving a lifeline to his controversial Cupboard picks, together with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Trump’s decide to steer the Division of Justice.
Johnson dug in on his opposition to the Home Ethics Committee releasing a report on Gaetz since he’s now not a member of Congress. The panel had been investigating the Florida Republican for years over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz, whom the Justice Division declined to cost after investigating the identical issues, has vigorously denied wrongdoing.
“I think that would be a Pandora’s box. I don’t think we want the House Ethics Committee using all of its vast resources and powers to go after private citizens,” Johnson mentioned on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
That was a shift from his preliminary assertion when he was requested about the potential for the report being launched after Gaetz was introduced as Trump’s decide for lawyer normal, saying that “the Speaker of the House is not involved in that, can’t be involved in that.”
Johnson on CNN mentioned that he initially meant that the Speaker can’t put a thumb on the dimensions of the preliminary investigation. And he denied that he had spoken to Trump about the potential for the ethics report being launched, regardless of seeing Trump at a gala at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago membership between saying that he wouldn’t become involved within the investigation and calling for the report to remain sealed.
On one other present, Johnson left open the chance of enabling Trump to nominate his Cupboard picks by recess appointments, bypassing the necessity for approval within the Senate.
As a result of the Structure dictates that neither chamber of Congress can adjourn for greater than three days with out the consent of the opposite, the Home — and due to this fact, its Speaker — has a say in whether or not it will be doable for Trump to recess appoint his Cupboard picks.
“We’ll evaluate that at the appropriate time, and we’ll make the appropriate decision. There may be a function for that; we’ll have to see how it plays out,” Johnson mentioned on “Fox News Sunday” when requested about whether or not he would assist recess appointments.
Regardless of trifecta Republican management, advancing high-stakes laws can be no straightforward job on account of slim GOP majorities in each chambers.
However Johnson exhibiting that he’s near Trump might assist him navigate these legislative hurdles and handle GOP detractors which have brought about chaos over the past two years, essentially the most rebellious of whom are additionally staunch Trump supporters.
“We just need to have a UFC fight every weekend, and whoever walks out with Trump, we’ll know who’s on top in his orbit,” one Trump ally who requested anonymity on account of job negotiations informed The Hill, additionally mentioning how it will ship a sign Trump’s assist to rebellious Home Republicans.
Johnson has positioned himself nearer to Trump than maybe any Republican Speaker.
The 2 converse usually. Along with being a part of the UFC entourage, because the election, Johnson has bounced between Washington and Mar-a-Lago.
Johnson had a talking slot at Trump’s Madison Sq. Backyard rally earlier than the election — the place Trump additionally praised Johnson: “Such a nice-looking guy. Just that little beautiful face with the glasses, got the little glasses.”
“Everyone said, ‘Oh, he’s so nice. He’s such a nice person.’ He’s not a nice person. He’s not nice at all,” Trump mentioned, referencing a contentious interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” by which Trump mentioned Johnson “decapitate[d]” the host.
There have been disagreements on technique between the 2 over the past 12 months. Trump publicly advocated for a authorities shutdown whereas Johnson warned such a transfer would have unfavourable electoral penalties.
However that hasn’t saved the 2 from forging a powerful alliance — full with the president-elect going out of his option to speak to Home Republicans in a closed-door session on Capitol Hill final week and present his assist for Johnson.
Home Republicans renominated Jonson to be Speaker later that night in a unanimous vote.
Brett Samuels contributed.
