- Written by Madeline Halpert
- BBC News, New York
image source, Getty Images
Hardline conservative from Ohio leads impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden
President Donald Trump has endorsed staunch conservative Congressman Jim Jordan to become the next speaker of the House.
“He will be a great Speaker of the House,” Trump said Friday. ”[He] I fully support it! ”
Mr. Jordan, 59, was one of the first Republicans to join the race to replace Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted by members of his own party last week.
This is the first time in history that a motion of no confidence in the chairman has been rejected.
Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that Jordan was “a star long before his hugely successful move to Washington.”
“He’s strong on crime, the border, our military and veterans, and the Second Amendment,” he added.
Jordan is one of the former president’s most vocal defenders in Congress.
The hardline conservative from Ohio, currently in his ninth term, is also leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
In 2015, he was the founding chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, a subversive hard-line group that one former Republican chair labeled a “legislative terrorist.”
His candidacy already has the support of several prominent conservatives.
But he may struggle to win the support of centrist Republicans and is unlikely to get the support of Democrats when he needs it. A candidate needs a simple majority of 218 votes to secure the position.
Video: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy… Watch 9 Months in 90 Seconds
Trump chose to endorse Jordan over Louisiana’s Steve Scalise, who has also announced his candidacy.
Matt Gaetz, the rebel who led the coup against Mr. McCarthy, supports both Mr. Jordan and Mr. Scalise in their roles. “I support both sides right now,” he told Bloomberg on Wednesday, adding that he was eager to hear “their plans and visions.”
Other potential successors include political newcomer Kevin Hearn and Patrick McHenry, who will serve in the role on an interim basis while the process of appointing a permanent chair is underway.
Fox News announced Thursday that anchor Bret Baier will host a joint interview with Jordan, Scalise and Hahn on Oct. 9. The report said Mr. Baier plans to “pressure” lawmakers on who should be elected speaker and the biggest issues facing the Republican Party and Congress.
Trump had previously hinted he would be open to serving in the role on a temporary basis, with reports saying he was considering a visit to the Capitol. But officials told CNN on Thursday that a visit is unlikely to happen at this point.
Lawmakers will begin debating who could fill the role next week, but it could take days or weeks to find someone who can garner enough support in the divided House.
Gaetz said he was dissatisfied with McCarthy, who worked with Democrats to pass short-term spending deals to avoid a government shutdown, and began the process to remove him as chairman.
It was emblematic of broader tensions between Mr. McCarthy and the party’s right-wing wing, which had previously tried to block his election as speaker in January.
