WASHINGTON — Rep. won the House Republican nomination Wednesday to remain as House speaker, on track to keep the gavel after a from President-elect ahead of a full House vote in the new year.
While Johnson has no serious challenger, he faces , particularly from hard-right conservatives and the Freedom Caucus withholding their votes as leverage to extract promises ahead.
Trump told House Republicans, during the since the party swept the , that he's with the speaker all the way, according to a person familiar with the remarks but unauthorized to discuss the private meeting near the Capitol.
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Johnson heaped praise on Trump, calling him the "comeback king."
It's been a remarkable political journey for Johnson, the accidental speaker who rose as a last, best choice to replace ousted former speaker Kevin McCarthy more than a year ago and quickly set course by positioning himself alongside Trump and leading Republicans during the elections.
As Johnson tells it, Trump is the "coach" and he is the "quarterback" as they prepare for unified Republican government in the new year.
Johnson embraced Trump's priorities . Together they have been working on what the speaker calls an "ambitious" 100-days agenda hoping to avoid what he called the mistakes of Trump's first term when Congress was unprepared and wasted "precious time."
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as he arrives to speak Wednesday at a meeting with the House GOP conference in Washington.
While Johnson expects to lead the House in unified government, with Trump in the White House and Republicans having , the House is expected to remain narrowly split, even as House control remains undecided with final races particularly in California still too early to call.
But the problems that come with a slim House majority and plagued Johnson's first year as speaker when his own ranks routinely revolted over his plans are likely to spill into the new year, with a potential fresh round of .
Johnson needs just a simple majority in Wednesday's closed-door voting to win the GOP nomination to become speaker. But he will need majority support of the full House, 218 votes, to actually take hold of the gavel on Jan. 3, when the new Congress convenes and conducts the election for its speaker. It took McCarthy in a weeklong election to win the gavel in 2023.
Trump made Johnson's problems more complicated by tapping House Republicans for his administration, reducing the numbers further.
Still, with Trump in the White House, the speaker may enjoy a period of goodwill from his own ranks as Republicans are eager to disrupt the norms of governing and institutionalize Trump's second-term agenda.
"His challenge is what it's always been," Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a member of the Freedom Caucus, said of Johnson.
But he said, "With Trump in charge, it'll be easier for him to deliver."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who launched a failed effort last year to oust Johnson from the speaker's office said: "You know who he's going to have to answer to? Donald Trump."
And Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who wore his "Make America Great Again" tie with matching Trump gold sneakers, told reporters the party must put aside the chaos of the last few years and unify behind the president-elect.
"If Donald Trump says, 'Jump three feet high and scratch your head,' we all jump three feet high and scratch our head," Nehls said.
Conservatives have been discussing whether to field their own candidate as a signal to Johnson as they push their own priorities, using the same tactic they did with McCarthy to force the speaker into concessions, particularly on steeper budget cuts.
As Johnson begins the budget process for next year, including using a so-called budget reconciliation process that makes it easier in unified government to push Trump's agenda through the House and Senate on simple majority votes, conservatives want him to load up those packages with their own policy priorities.
Johnson met with conservatives late Monday evening for a private dinner ahead of votes.
"We'll see what happens," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, among those conservatives weighing their options.
Democrats, who lent Johnson a hand at governing multiple times in Congress — supplying the votes needed to keep the federal government funded and turn back the effort by Greene to bounce him from office — are unlikely to help him in the new year as they try to put a check on Trump's agenda.
"House Democrats are ready to work with the new administration and will extend a hand of bipartisanship whenever possible," said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
But he said Democrats "will be ready to push against efforts" to throw millions of Americans off health care and other GOP priorities.
It's not just the speaker election Wednesday, but Republicans will also determine their down-ballot leadership.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise, also of Louisiana, and GOP Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, are expected to sail to their reelections in leadership.
The No. 4 position, the House GOP conference chair, is the most contested with Trump's decision to tap Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as his ambassador to the United Nations. Her departure opens up the post that is being contested by several GOP lawmakers.
Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far
President-elect Donald Trump
Susie Wiles, chief of staff
Susie Wiles, 67,  to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.
Wiles has a background in Florida politics. She helped Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump's defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.
Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with the president-elect. Wiles is said to have earned Trump's trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump's three presidential campaigns.
Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, secretary of state
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., smiles as he addresses supporters Nov. 8, 2012, in Miami.Â
President-elect Donald Trump named Rubio as his nominee for secretary of state Wednesday, setting up a onetime critic who evolved into one of the president-elect’s fiercest defenders to become the nation’s top diplomat. The conservative lawmaker is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump’s running mate this summer.
On Capitol Hill, Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He pushed for taking a harder line against China and targeted social media app TikTok because its parent company is Chinese. He and other lawmakers contend Beijing could demand access to the data of users whenever it wants.
“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,†Trump said of Rubio in a statement.
Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense
Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend†and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.
Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.
Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,†published earlier this year.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, attorney general
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., departs after speaking Feb. 23 during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md.
President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Gaetz to serve as his attorney general, putting a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor. In selecting the congressman, Trump passed over some of the more established attorneys whose names were mentioned as being contenders for the job.
“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,†Trump said in a statement.
Kristi Noem, secretary of homeland security
Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda.
Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.
South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.†Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.
She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.
Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard arrives Nov. 4 before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
President-elect Donald Trump chose the former Democratic member of Congress and presidential candidate to serve as director of national intelligence, continuing to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities complimentary to his own, rather than long-term professionals in their requisite fields.
“As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican!†Trump said in a statement. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!â€
Gabbard, who served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider, compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.
Gabbard hasn’t worked directly in the intelligence community, outside of House committees, including two years on the Homeland Security Committee. Like others Trump selected for his agency leadership, she is among his most popular political surrogates.
John Ratcliffe, CIA director
Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next.
Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,†Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans†who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.â€
Elise Stefanik, United Nations ambassador
Rep. Elise Stefanik is a  and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment.
Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership.
Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile.
If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah.
Mike Huckabee, ambassador to Israel
Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel.
Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.
“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,†Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.â€
Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.
Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Steven Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East
Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East.
The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.
Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,†Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."
Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.
Mike Waltz, national security adviser
Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday.
The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,†Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!â€
Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.
He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.
Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency
Trump has chosen former New York Rep.  to serve as his pick to lead the .
Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.†“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,†he added.
During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,†referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.
In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.â€
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy
Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families.
Tom Homan, ‘border czar’
Thomas Homan, 62,  with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.
Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign.
Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.â€
Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance†policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.
William McGinley, White House counsel
Trump says William McGinley, a lawyer who has served in Trump's White House and in a key political role this year, will be his White House counsel.
McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.
In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.â€
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency
Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency.
The acronym “DOGE†is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance†and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.†He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate.
Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.â€
