In a recent development, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) has voiced significant skepticism concerning Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) capacity to maintain his leadership position, despite the latter receiving a coveted endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump.
This comes as Johnson faces a wave of doubt from within his own party, mere days before a pivotal floor vote.
According to Gateway Pundit, President Trump unexpectedly endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson for reelection on Monday, amidst challenges from other GOP lawmakers. Trump lauded Johnson as a good, hardworking, religious man and the ideal candidate to advance the America First agenda. However, during an appearance on Varney & Co. on Fox Business, Roy was candid about Johnsons unstable standing.
Roy exposed the turmoil that transpired in the closing days of 2024, revealing how Congress breached its own 72-hour rule on two occasions. This resulted in lawmakers being compelled to vote on a 1,500-page spending bill without sufficient time to scrutinize its contents. Despite efforts from influential allies like Elon Musk and JD Vance to reduce the bill to a more manageable 100 pages, it still pledged $110 billion in unfunded spending.
While acknowledging Johnsons close relationship with former President Trump, Roy emphasized that loyalty alone does not guarantee success. He also suggested potential replacements, such as Representatives Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Jim Jordan (R-OH), while underscoring the necessity for a unified GOP strategy.
During the interview, Ashley Webster asked Roy about Johnson's chances of retaining his role as Speaker. Roy responded, "Well, good morning, Ashley, and Happy New Year to all the listeners and viewers out there. Look, Victoria is a good friend, and Thomas is a good friend, and they raise reasonable concerns. I remain concerned. I remain undecided, as do a number of my colleagues, because we saw so many of the failures last year that might limit or inhibit our ability to advance the Presidents agenda."
Roy went on to detail the events leading up to Christmas, including the violation of the 72-hour rule and the passing of a bill that committed $110 billion in unpaid spending. He also mentioned the passing of a $200 billion bill that would hasten the bankruptcy of Social Security by six months.
Roy continued, "That was all the week before Christmas, Ashley. Thats a problem. Thats not how we should do business. We racked up $300 billion of additional deficit spending after the election. We spent $1.7 trillion last year with more Democrat votes than Republican votes. We gave another $61 billion to Ukraine."
Roy expressed the need for a plan before January 3rd, and for the Speaker to address these issues if he wants to secure support. When asked if Johnson had that support, Roy responded, "Right now, I dont believe that he has the votes on Friday, and I think we need to have the conference get together so that we can get united."
Roy also mentioned potential alternatives for the Speaker position, including Byron Donalds and Jim Jordan. He emphasized the need for unity and a plan to deliver for the President, stating, "Right now, I do not believe the conference has that. The failure before Christmas, I cannot overstate, is a glimpse of whats to come if we dont organize the conference to deliver for the American people."
Roy concluded by stressing the importance of cutting spending, securing the border, and having plans in place by Friday. He stated, "We are not going to be able to bend on the things that matter. We must cut spending if we want inflation to go down and for people to afford to live in this country. We have to secure the border. We cant be going back and forth on that."
This situation underscores the internal challenges faced by the GOP, even as it seeks to present a united front. The outcome of the upcoming floor vote will undoubtedly have significant implications for the party's future direction and its ability to advance the President's agenda.
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