Donald Trump expressed support for Mike Johnson remaining House speaker, but with some conditions, according to a report.
The president-elect told Fox News Digital that he would back Johnson's re-election as GOP leader in the next Congress if he could avoid "all of the traps being set by Democrats" and act "decisively and tough."
"Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible," Trump told Fox News Digital.
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The Louisiana Republican had reached an agreement with House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries on a stopgap funding measure to avoid a government shutdown, but that collapsed after Trump's outside allies and then the president-elect himself spoke out against it, and some GOP lawmakers have called for a new speaker going forward.
"If the speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker," Trump said.
The speaker vote is set for Jan. 3, and sources say top Republicans are eying House majority whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) as an alternative for Johnson, while some mentioned House judiciary chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) or Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL).
All three of those Republicans shot down rumors of a leadership challenge when asked for comment.
"Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do," said Emmer's spokesperson, while a person close to Donalds said "at this time, the congressman has not made any statements regarding the future of House leadership."
A source close to Jordan said the Ohio Republican was "not interested in challenging Johnson."
