Former US President Trump supports Republican Representative Jordan’s candidacy for chairman of the House of Representatives. Jordan is considered one of his most vocal supporters in the Capitol.
Former US President Donald Trump wants to support Republican Congressman Jim Jordan as the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Jordan was already a star before he began his “extremely successful trip to Washington” to represent Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, Trump wrote on his online platform Truth Social. He will make a great House Speaker and has his full support, the former president added.
Jordan is considered one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in the Capitol. As head of the Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives, the representative from Ohio oversees, among other things, investigations against prosecutors who indicted the former president.
Jordan was also one of a group of Republicans who worked with Trump before his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to overturn his election defeat against President Joe Biden.
The party is deeply divided
In addition to Jordan, Republican leader Steve Scalise also threw his hat into the ring. However, given the party’s deep fragmentation, there are doubts as to whether one of the two can get the necessary 218 votes to secure the chairmanship.
A successor to Kevin McCarthy is being sought. He was removed as chairman of the large chamber of Congress on Tuesday in a historic vote. The vote was requested by Republican hardliner Matt Gaetz after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes for a deal to avert an imminent shutdown of the US administration.
Trump indicated on Thursday that he could imagine taking over the office, at least in the short term. He told Fox News Digital that he could step in for 30 to 90 days if no other candidate got the necessary majority. Because he has so many friends in Congress, he was asked if he could “unify” the party.
Trump wants to travel to Washington
In the interview, Trump also announced that he would travel to Washington next Tuesday for talks with Republicans. Three people familiar with the plans told the AP news agency that there was also talk of a possible visit by Trump to the Capitol.
One of the people added that the former president would probably take part in an internal party meeting with candidates behind closed doors planned for Tuesday evening (local time). The vote on the chairman of the House of Representatives could then follow on Wednesday.
Observer: Trump wants to demonstrate control
It would be Trump’s first visit to the Capitol since he left the White House and his supporters stormed the seat of Congress on January 6, 2021. At the federal level, the ex-president must answer for his attempts to overturn his defeat against his successor Joe Biden . Charges were also brought against Trump in the state of Georgia for similar allegations. Trump wants to return to the White House in 2024 and is currently far ahead in internal party polls in the Republican nomination race.
Observers expect that he will use a visit to the Capitol to demonstrate his control over large parts of the Republican Party.