WASHINGTON (CN) — Former President Trump weighed in on the fast-developing race for House speaker Thursday night, putting his weighty support behind Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan.
Jordan announced Wednesday that he would seek his party’s endorsement to become the lower chamber’s top lawmaker, just hours after California Congressman Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the role in a historic election.
In a post on Truth Social, his alternative social media platform, Trump called Jordan a “star.”
“He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement,” the former president wrote.
Trump noted that he had presented Jordan, currently chair of the House Judiciary Committee, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the country’s highest civilian honor.
An endorsement from Trump should prove potent as the Republican caucus begins deliberating next week on who will become its next speaker — especially as Jordan is set to square off against GOP leaders such as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
The former president isn’t the only one who has thrown his weight behind Jordan, though. A growing number of House Republicans have signaled that they would back his ascent to House speaker.
Representative Troy Nehls of Texas, who had previously said he would support an attempt to install Trump himself as House speaker, said in a Friday post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, that Republicans should “listen to the leader of our party.”
“I fully support Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House,” Nehls said.
North Carolina Representative Dan Bishop, a staunch critic of former Speaker McCarthy who ultimately voted against his ouster, also announced his support for Jordan’s candidacy.
“I’m for Jim Jordan for speaker,” he said.
On the Senate side, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson said the Ohio Republican was “a person with both high intelligence and integrity.
“We are fortunate he is willing to serve America in this often thankless capacity,” Johnson said. “I hope his Republican House colleagues agree by fully supporting him.”
Democrats, meanwhile, were less enthused by the prospect.
“It’s clear that extreme MAGA Republicans are in charge and have been in charge,” said Representative Gregory Meeks during an appearance on CNN Friday morning. “Republicans have been completely incompetent to govern from day one,” the New York Democrat added, pointing to the caucus’s marathon speaker vote in January.
The House’s Republican majority — and the chamber at large — is currently leaderless after right-wing lawmakers led a charge this week to remove former Speaker McCarthy, after the top Republican negotiated with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry, the interim House speaker, sent the House home Tuesday night.
Until a new speaker is elected, Congress cannot vote on any legislation — an issue made particularly dire since lawmakers have until Nov. 15 to pass some sort of budget legislation or risk a second brush with a government shutdown.
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