Republican Mike Johnson has been re-elected as speaker of the United States House of Representatives with the crucial backing of incoming president Donald Trump, ending a bitter standoff that highlighted divisions and threatened to start the 2025 session in chaos. Johnson initially appeared to fall short of the majority he needed to retain his job in an hour-long roll call vote, but after more than half an hour of negotiations, two Republican opponents switched their votes to support him. He won re-election with 218 votes — the minimum number needed — against 215 opposed, with all Democrats backing House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Republicans control the chamber by a razor-thin 219-215 majority . Donald Trump to be sentenced over hush money case 10 days before inauguration Republican representatives Thomas Massie, Ralph Norman and Keith Self originally all voted for candidates that were not Johnson. Norman and Self subsequently changed their votes to support Johnson.
Congressional media outlet Punchbowl News reported that Johnson was able to keep his speakership ambitions alive after Trump intervened personally to Norman and Self just before they changed their votes. Self confirmed that he had spoken to the president-elect. 04/01/2025 05:45 Play Divisions among House Republicans House Republicans have been racked by internal divisions over the last two years.
Johnson was elevated to speaker after the party ousted his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, in the middle of his.
