Trump Endorses Jim Jordan to Succeed McCarthy as House Speaker

Shortly after midnight on Friday, Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social site that Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio had his "Complete & Total Endorsement" to become the next speaker of the House. He called Jordan a "STAR" long before his arrival in Washington and predicted he would be a "GREAT Speaker." Jordan chairs the House Judiciary Committee and has long been one of Trump's most combative defenders in Congress.

The post came hours after Texas Rep. Troy Nehls announced on X, late Thursday, that he had just had a "great conversation" with Trump, who was endorsing Jordan. Nehls told The Associated Press the former president had made up his mind after thinking it over, and that Trump believes Jordan is right for the job. Two Republicans familiar with Trump's thinking said he had been telling people in recent days that he preferred Jordan, though it was unclear whether he meant to announce it before Nehls's tweet.

The endorsement arrives in a leadership vacuum. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker in a stunning vote, and House Republicans are deeply fractured. Jordan is one of two leading candidates, along with Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Each is trying to assemble the 218 votes needed to win, which means drawing support from both the far-right and moderate wings of the conference. It is unclear whether Trump's backing will push Scalise out of the race. Scalise has also worked closely with Trump over the years.

Jordan's ties to Trump run deep. He is leading the investigations into the prosecutors who have charged the former president, and he was among the Republicans who worked with Trump to overturn the 2020 defeat ahead of Jan. 6, 2021. Trump has been indicted in both Washington and Georgia over his efforts to overturn the election, which he lost to President Joe Biden.

Trump had also been stoking speculation about himself. He told Fox News Digital he was heading to Washington on Tuesday to meet Republicans, and three people familiar with the talks confirmed them to the AP. The trip would have been his first to the Capitol since leaving office and since the Jan. 6 attack. One source said he likely would have attended a closed-door candidate forum Tuesday evening, ahead of a speakership vote that could come as soon as Wednesday, and that he would be there to talk with lawmakers, not to pitch himself. Nehls said the trip was unlikely.

Trump also told Fox News Digital he would accept a short-term stint as speaker, anywhere from 30 to 90 days, if another candidate lacks the votes. He said he had been asked to serve as a unifier. In a social media post, he said he would do whatever is necessary to help in the short term. Nehls, who had urged Trump to take the job, said he would turn to Trump again if no current candidate reaches 218, adding that the conference is divided and he does not know who can get there. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who did not vote to remove McCarthy, said she believed Trump would take the job.

The idea runs against precedent and practicality. Nothing requires a speaker to be a member of the House, but all 55 speakers the chamber has elected have been. Lawmakers have occasionally cast votes for outsiders, often as a protest. The job means effectively running the Capitol and managing hundreds of lawmakers, and it demands attention to arcane legislative detail that Trump showed little interest in even as president. He is also busy campaigning in early primary states and dealing with four criminal indictments and several civil cases.

Trump helped McCarthy win the gavel in January after 15 rounds of voting, then pressed Republicans to impeach Biden and reject McCarthy's deals. Last month he urged the right flank to back a shutdown absent deep spending cuts. McCarthy instead moved to keep the government open for 45 days without those cuts, and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida cited that decision in moving to depose him. Nehls said multiple members had offered to give nomination speeches for Trump, and wrote that next week "is going to be HUGE." What to watch is whether Scalise stays in and whether either man can reach 218.