Mike Johnson re-elected Speaker of the House after Trump puts the squeeze on pair of GOP holdouts

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was re-elected to another term in the House after two Republican dissenters flipped last minute in a floor vote on Friday — with President-elect Donald Trump personally intervening to shut down the opposition.Johnson, 52, was staring down a razor-thin Republican majority in the House, with 219 members of his own party seated for the start of the session and 215 Democrats, meaning he could only afford to lose one vote and still win the speaker’s gavel with a 218-vote majority.Rep.Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has been a thorn in Johnson’s side almost since the Louisiana Republican ascended to the position in October 2023, had also declared before the noon vote kicked off that he wouldn’t be casting his ballot for the incumbent speaker under any circumstances.That gave the incoming speaker no margin for error, with 434 members present and every Democrat preparing to vote for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).In the first round of voting, Massie wasted no time casting his ballot for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).He was followed by other rebels, including Rep.

Ralph Norman (R-SC), who supported Rep.Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for the speakership, and Rep.

Keith Self (R-Texas), who wanted Rep.Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), effectively dooming Johnson’s bid.Some Republicans immediately went to contact members of President-elect Donald Trump’s team as the vote was appearing to head to a second round.Rep.

Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was photographed talking on the phone with Trump’s chief-of-staff Susie Wiles from the House floor.Trump, 78, also spoke to Norman and Self on speakerphone after being brought in by Rep.Nancy Mace (R-SC), according to Fox News.The incoming president said it would be “disrespectful” to voters to have the speaker vote go into a second or third ballot, adding that it would also be “disrespectful to me.”“Fellas, we have a lot to do.

Let’s get to it,” Trump told the members, per Fox N...