Republican Mike Johnson wins re-election as House Speaker with Donald Trump’s backing: All about the new US Speaker

Republican Mike Johnson defeated hard-right GOP stalwarts in a heated confrontation on Friday to win reelection as House speaker on the first ballot.

The first day of the new Congress got off to a spooky start because of the uncomfortable scene. In the rear of the House chamber, a handful of conservative Republicans gathered, each refusing to cast a ballot or select a different lawmaker. But ultimately, with Donald Trump's assistance, Johnson turned over two holdouts who had defected to his side. According to the news agency AP, Trump was on the phone to ensure the resultant endorsed Johnson during the vote. Following the decision, Trump wrote on social media, "Mike will be a great speaker, and our country will be the beneficiary."

Following the vote, Johnson vowed to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which are due to expire this year and roll back regulations.

"We're going to cut back the size and scope of government drastically," he said.

Who is Mike Johnson?

Mike Johnson won reelection with 218 votes - the minimum number needed. He is the 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives and a Republican member of Congress.

Johnson commands one of the slimmest majorities in modern times, having lost seats in the November election.

Johnson represents Louisiana's 4th Congressional District. He is known for his conservative values and has held office in the House since 2017.

The mild-mannered Louisiana representative, 52, was vaulted from obscurity into one of Washington's most powerful jobs during three weeks of turmoil in October 2023, when Republicans forced out McCarthy and struggled to agree on a successor.

Johnson angered some conservatives over the past year by repeatedly turning to Democrats to provide the votes to pass critical legislation, such as bills to keep government agencies operating.

-With agency inputs