Speaker Mike Johnson has fallen out of favor with Donald Trump who is now considering throwing him overboard in favor of a new leader of the House, insiders close to the president-elect told Politico Monday.
Trump is furious about the spending deal that was put together in a desperate effort to keep the government open Friday — specifically that Johnson failed to push through a debt ceiling hike.
“Amid the chaos in Washington, I was in Palm Beach talking to people close to the past and future president and called up other confidants afterward,” wrote Rachael Bade.
“This much became clear to me: Not only is Trump unhappy with the funding deal, he’s unhappy with Johnson, too.
“He’s unhappy that he didn’t get the debt ceiling hike he made clear he wanted. He felt blindsided by the initial deal Johnson struck with Democrats. And, in the end, he was unimpressed with the entire chaotic process, which left the incoming administration questioning whether Johnson is capable of managing an even thinner majority next year.”
One Trump insider told Bade bluntly: “The president is upset.”
Now the incoming president is considering if it is to his benefit to avoid what would likely be a bitter fight to replace the speaker right before his new administration begins, or if he should wait it out.
“No one thinks he’s strong. No one says, ‘Damn, this guy’s a fighter,’” another insider told Politico about Johnson. Yet another said, “I don’t see how Johnson survives.”
But the Trump confidants claim he is undecided on what to do — and is instead watching how things unfold.
Politico reported Trump’s temper began to fray when he was blindsided by what was in Johnson’s initial deal. The speaker’s team had told members of the administration, but not Trump himself.
Then a second bill was floated and, after being told the debt ceiling provision was part of it, Trump decided to endorse it.
“When that deal failed spectacularly, with 38 Republicans voting against it, Trump’s team was floored — and felt Johnson had made Trump look foolish for weighing in,” Bade wrote.
“‘You can’t bring the president a deal that you say you have the votes for if you don’t have the votes,’ one said.”
Trump stayed out of the next effort, which passed the House but did not have the debt ceiling provision that the president-elect wanted.
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“Those close to Trump don’t expect the president-elect to outright call for Johnson to go, though that could still happen,” Politico reported.
“What seems more likely is that, should Trump decide he’d prefer a different partner leading the House, he simply lets Johnson flail as he struggles to land 218 votes.”
“... The president recognizes the difficulty of electing a speaker right now — any speaker — is not easy,” one of the Trump confidants said.
“So Trump has decided to keep his powder dry as things play out — intentionally so, I’m told,” Bade wrote.
But she concluded, “The reality is this: Trump now sees him as waffling and weak.”
