House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made a significant move in the presidential primary arena on Tuesday by publicly endorsing former President Donald Trump. This move diverges from the approach taken by his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who refrained from supporting any candidate in the GOP primary. Traditionally, party leaders in Congress have maintained neutrality until a presumptive nominee emerges from the primaries.
“I’m all in for President Trump,” Johnson declared during an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday. “I expect he’ll be our nominee. He’s going to win it, and we have to make [President Joe] Biden a one-term president.”
Trump had previously lauded the Louisiana Republican during the recent speaker selection, affectionately referring to the four-term congressman as “MAGA Mike Johnson” on his Truth Social platform.
Notably, Johnson had been a vocal advocate for Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. He led an amicus brief supporting a Texas lawsuit aimed at invalidating results from four critical states.
Speaking about Trump’s perspective on the 2020 election, Johnson stated on Tuesday, “Trump just felt like he was cheated in the last election.”
Joining the ranks of House GOP leadership members endorsing Trump, Johnson stands alongside GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York and Republican Study Committee Chair Gary Palmer of Alabama.
However, Johnson’s endorsement comes on the same day that The New York Times uncovered his past criticisms of Trump. According to a 2015 Facebook post, Johnson expressed concerns about Trump, describing him as “dangerous” and claiming he “lacks the character and the moral center” to be president.
Addressing these past comments, Johnson emphasized, “I was one of the closest allies that President Trump had in Congress,” during his interview with CNBC on Tuesday.
Trump currently holds the majority of congressional endorsements among GOP presidential hopefuls, with over 70 GOP House members — approximately a third of the conference — supporting him. Meanwhile, McCarthy has refrained from endorsing any candidate in the presidential race, citing other pressing issues, such as the southern border situation and conflicts in the Middle East.
“I believe President Trump will be our nominee,” McCarthy asserted on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last month. “And I believe President Trump will get re-elected.”
