By MICHELLE L. PRICE, Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is endorsing House Speaker Mike Johnson as he prepares to fight to keep his role leading Republicans in Congress.
Trump said Monday in a post on his social media network that Johnson “is a good, hard working, religious man” and said the Louisiana Republican “will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN.”
“Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote.
Johnson’s continued leadership seemed in jeopardy after a fight over a federal funding plan put the government at risk for a pre-Christmas shutdown. Though a deal was reached, the dispute showed the limits of Johnson’s influence and exposed cracks in his party’s support.
The speaker’s first two funding plans collapsed as Trump, who does not take the oath of office until Jan. 20, interceded with calls to suspend or lift the government debt ceiling.
Johnson, who has worked hard to stay close to Trump, convinced the president-elect that he would meet his demands to raise the debt limit in 2025.
Trump had remained quiet about Johnson’s fate before a Jan. 3 leadership vote for over a week, even as some Republicans have said they would not support Johnson for the role.
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