NEW DELHI: In a show of support, former US President Donald Trump stood alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson at Mar-a-Lago, praising his performance and tempering the far-right forces led by Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, who are seeking to remove Johnson from office.
Trump’s endorsement comes as a lifeline for the embattled GOP leader, who has hitched himself and his majority to the indicted Republican Party leader ahead of the November election.
Despite some criticism over efforts to oust the speaker, which Trump called “unfortunate,” he emphasized that there are “much bigger problems” to address, according to an AP report.
The visit, arranged as a joint announcement on new House legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voting, holds significance for both parties.
Johnson needed Trump to quell hard-line threats against his leadership, while Trump benefits from the imprimatur of official Washington rushing to Florida to embrace his comeback bid for the White House and his entangled election lies.
The meeting highlighted the fragility of the speaker’s grip on power, just six months into his tenure, but also showcased his evolving understanding of the politics of the Trump era, as Republicans in Congress align with the “Make America Great Again” movement fueling the former president’s re-election campaign. Both Johnson and Trump employed similar language to describe their campaign strategy, focusing on alarming rhetoric about a “migrant invasion” and raising the specter of noncitizens voting, despite it being a federal felony.
Kevin McCarthy, the House Speaker, is navigating a delicate balance between supporting former President Donald Trump and advancing his own legislative agenda. McCarthy recognizes that Trump’s endorsement is crucial for conducting business in the House, particularly as he seeks to provide US aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
McCarthy is engaging with both the White House and Trump to secure support for the national security package, which is at risk of failing due to Trump’s opposition. “We’re looking at it,” Trump said about the national security package.
Meanwhile, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is threatening to call for a snap vote to remove McCarthy from leadership if he allows any US assistance to reach Ukraine.
On the matter of election integrity, McCarthy is guiding his House GOP majority to embrace Trump’s unfounded claims of a stolen election and setting the stage for potential challenges in the 2024 election. Despite the lack of evidence to support his allegations, Trump maintains that the 2020 election was tainted by fraud, even though every state has certified their results as valid.
As Trump campaigns to regain the presidency, he has effectively taken control of the Republican National Committee, aligning the campaign apparatus with his priorities. He endorsed Michael Whatley to lead the RNC, which has established a new “Election Integrity Division” and aims to hire thousands of lawyers nationwide.
Trump’s endorsement comes as a lifeline for the embattled GOP leader, who has hitched himself and his majority to the indicted Republican Party leader ahead of the November election.
Despite some criticism over efforts to oust the speaker, which Trump called “unfortunate,” he emphasized that there are “much bigger problems” to address, according to an AP report.
The visit, arranged as a joint announcement on new House legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voting, holds significance for both parties.
Johnson needed Trump to quell hard-line threats against his leadership, while Trump benefits from the imprimatur of official Washington rushing to Florida to embrace his comeback bid for the White House and his entangled election lies.
The meeting highlighted the fragility of the speaker’s grip on power, just six months into his tenure, but also showcased his evolving understanding of the politics of the Trump era, as Republicans in Congress align with the “Make America Great Again” movement fueling the former president’s re-election campaign. Both Johnson and Trump employed similar language to describe their campaign strategy, focusing on alarming rhetoric about a “migrant invasion” and raising the specter of noncitizens voting, despite it being a federal felony.
Kevin McCarthy, the House Speaker, is navigating a delicate balance between supporting former President Donald Trump and advancing his own legislative agenda. McCarthy recognizes that Trump’s endorsement is crucial for conducting business in the House, particularly as he seeks to provide US aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
McCarthy is engaging with both the White House and Trump to secure support for the national security package, which is at risk of failing due to Trump’s opposition. “We’re looking at it,” Trump said about the national security package.
Meanwhile, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is threatening to call for a snap vote to remove McCarthy from leadership if he allows any US assistance to reach Ukraine.
On the matter of election integrity, McCarthy is guiding his House GOP majority to embrace Trump’s unfounded claims of a stolen election and setting the stage for potential challenges in the 2024 election. Despite the lack of evidence to support his allegations, Trump maintains that the 2020 election was tainted by fraud, even though every state has certified their results as valid.
As Trump campaigns to regain the presidency, he has effectively taken control of the Republican National Committee, aligning the campaign apparatus with his priorities. He endorsed Michael Whatley to lead the RNC, which has established a new “Election Integrity Division” and aims to hire thousands of lawyers nationwide.