Donald Trump is fully backing Mike Johnson to continue as Republican House Speaker after weeks of speculation about his future.
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard-working, religious man,” Trump wrote on social media on Monday.
“He will do the right thing and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my complete and total approval. MAGA!!!’
The outpouring of support comes as lawmakers prepare to return to Washington this week for the new Congress.
Republicans will have a narrow majority in the House of Representatives and a three-seat majority in the Senate this new year, giving them narrow margins to pass legislation.
The House will vote on the chairman on Friday.
After criticism in recent weeks over his handling of negotiating a spending deal, it remained unclear whether Johnson would have enough support to remain in office.
But Trump’s vocal support could go a long way toward solidifying support for Johnson as Republicans prepare to move on once the president-elect takes office on Jan. 20.
President-elect Donald Trump with Chairman Mike Johnson at the Army-Navy football game on December 14. After weeks of silence, Trump endorsed Johnson to remain speaker
However, some Republican lawmakers have already indicated they will not support Johnson.
It comes after he reached a deal with Democrats just before the holidays to avoid a government shutdown after a last-minute fight that saw two other deals fall through.
In the process, Trump and billionaire Elon Musk helped pass a more than 1,500-page bipartisan spending deal Johnson struck with Democrats.
A much slimmer Republican bill, which had the support of Trump and Musk, also went up in flames with the help of some conservative Republicans.
That was because Johnson had included a provision to raise the debt ceiling, as Trump demanded.
A third deal, which was pared down but did not include what Trump demanded, was ultimately passed at the eleventh hour with the help of Democrats.
Afterwards, Trump remained cagey about whether he would support Johnson, a longtime MAGA loyalist, in the new year.
He wrote that Johnson could do that “easily remain speaker” if he were to throw out the “Democratic traps” in the bill, but he did not immediately issue a statement of support after the deal.
Johnson’s office responded to Trump’s endorsement on Monday by sharing the president-elect’s Truth Social post.
“Thank you, President Trump! I am honored and humbled by your support, as always,” Johnson wrote in a post on X.
“Together, we will quickly realize your America First agenda and usher in America’s new golden age. The American people demand and deserve that we not waste time. Let’s get to work!’
Trump with Johnson during his meeting with the House GOP conference in Washington, shortly after winning the November election
With such a slim majority, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote and still retain his leadership role.
Trump’s support could be the only thing that gets Johnson across the finish line as lawmakers in Washington face a series of looming challenges, including tackling the debt limit in the new year.
Before Trump’s endorsement, Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told DailyMail.com that he is firmly against voting for Johnson over dumping the 1,500-page spending deal he originally helped negotiate.
Other Republicans had also indicated that Johnson’s position was in jeopardy, but that Trump would play a crucial role in electing the chairman.
Some GOP members have shown they are willing to go against the president-elect.
Earlier this month, 38 Republicans in Congress voted against the Trump-backed spending deal as lawmakers sought to avoid a government shutdown.