Trump Endorses Jim Jordan as Next House Speaker – On Friday morning, Donald Trump made an announcement endorsing Rep. Jim Jordan for the position of the next House Speaker. “He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the former president wrote in a post to his social media site, Truth Social, that praised Jordan’s political record as well as his college wrestling achievements.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity first reported the ex-president’s endorsement, which was later confirmed by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) through a social media post. Trump, in a phone call with Nehls, expressed his support for Ohio Republican Jim Jordan. Trump’s endorsement of Jordan comes amid the aftermath of Kevin McCarthy’s removal earlier this week, potentially providing clarity in what appears to be a chaotic race for the speakership.
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Jim Jordan, a staunch Trump ally and prominent GOP figure investigating President Joe Biden, could become one of the most conservative House Speakers in recent memory if elected. Both Jordan and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise have garnered support for the speaker’s role. Jordan has Trump’s endorsement for his presidential campaign, while Scalise, who previously served as majority leader under McCarthy, has not.
Jordan, known for his hardline stance as a co-founder of the conservative Freedom Caucus, expressed confidence in his ability to unite the fractured Republican conference during a Thursday night interview on Fox News. Earlier in the day, the Ohio Republican conducted a conference call with moderate members of the Main Street Caucus, during which he addressed concerns related to changing the motion to vacate.
A procedure Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) used to remove McCarthy – and his ability to raise funds for the party. Jim Jordan has a history of conflicts with GOP leadership, including former Republican Speaker John Boehner, who referred to him as a political “terrorist.” However, Jordan, as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, positioned himself as a staunch defender of Trump, notably during both of Trump’s impeachment trials.
As president, Trump honored Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Additionally, he supported McCarthy during his speakership and defended him on the House floor prior to the vote to remove him from the position. The announcement of Jordan’s endorsement coincided with Trump’s previous hints about a visit to Capitol Hill next week, during which he even expressed his willingness to potentially serve as the interim House Speaker.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump stated that he would contemplate taking on the role of temporary Speaker if the situation called for it. “If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for president,”Trump said.
“They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision.” Prior to the news of Jordan’s endorsement, two individuals who were familiar with Trump’s thoughts indicated that he was uncertain about whether he would attend a House GOP meeting in the nation’s capital, describing his chances of doing so as “50-50.”
If Trump were to appear, those familiar with his thinking said, it would be to “rally the troops” and “show leadership” over a party that is still stinging from the ouster of McCarthy by a small fraction of the GOP. According to their sources, Trump’s intention was to urge Republican lawmakers to swiftly select their next Speaker, avoiding a prolonged and contentious battle in the House. They clarified that while Trump appreciated the sentiment, he never genuinely considered the idea of running for Speaker.
Earlier in the week, he made it clear to reporters that his primary focus remained on the 2024 presidential race. Several House GOP allies of the former president, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Nehls, had publicly suggested Trump as a potential Speaker candidate. Greene on Thursday evening posted on X that Trump “CONFIRMED HE WILL TAKE THE JOB” and even created a website to fundraise off the idea.
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At least one other Republican, congressional candidate Bo Hines of North Carolina, has sought to raise campaign funds off of the idea of Trump as speaker too. Trump largely avoided weighing in on efforts to oust McCarthy this week as he was at the Manhattan courthouse for a civil fraud trial, with the exception of a Truth Social post that questioned why “Republicans are always fighting among themselves, why aren’t they fighting the Radical Left Democrats who are destroying our country?”