On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson paid a visit to former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The two Republican leaders were strategizing on how to secure a victory in the upcoming November elections.
Johnson kept the specifics of the meeting to himself, however, he did mention on social media that their party is fully committed and aligned with its political objectives.
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On X, Johnson expressed his pleasure in meeting with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He conveyed his confidence in the party’s unity and collective efforts, stating his belief in returning President Trump to the White House, winning back the Senate, and expanding the House Republican majority.
Johnson hasn’t been to Mar-a-Lago in two months. The last time he was there was when he was in danger of losing his speakership because of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. During that time, Trump publicly supported Johnson and ultimately, Greene’s attempt to remove him failed. In return, Johnson showed his support for Trump by attending his trial in Manhattan criminal court last month, even after the former president was convicted.
During his meeting with President Trump on Monday, Johnson revealed that they have ongoing discussions regarding the election cycle and post-election plans. “President Trump and I have constant dialogue about the plans for the election cycle and then the emerging plans about what we’ll do after we win the election cycle,” he said on Friday. Johnson expressed confidence in Trump’s re-election, stating that “I think he’ll be the next president.” He also predicted that the Republicans will have a bigger majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate.
According to Johnson, the Republicans are preparing themselves for the victory and are devising a strategic plan to utilize their time effectively. He emphasized the importance of not getting ahead of themselves and being cautious in their approach. The House Speaker also mentioned that he would have a discussion with Trump regarding the endorsement of GOP candidates.
The House of Representatives is currently being led by House Republicans, but their majority is extremely slim. Meanwhile, Democrats are currently in control of the Senate.
It appears that Trump’s influence is already being felt within the House and its committees. Recently, Johnson made the decision to add two Trump supporters, Rep. Scott Perry and Ronny Jackson, to the House Intelligence Committee. This committee is widely considered to be the most delicate and important House panel.
In 2020, federal investigators ordered that Perry’s text and email communications be turned over as part of the special counsel’s probe into former President Donald Trump and his allies. A federal judge had made this order, which was implemented late last year.
In 2022, the Navy demoted Jackson after a Pentagon watchdog investigation confirmed allegations of inappropriate conduct during his tenure as the White House physician. Surprisingly, this development was not publicly disclosed until now.
During an interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Turner, stated that he anticipates Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, to intervene in the event of any “improper” conduct. Turner further emphasized that Mayorkas will continue to keep a close eye on the situation and if any signs of impropriety arise, he expects the speaker to take charge and assert leadership.
Last week, Trump made a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with House and Senate Republicans. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss their agenda for 2024 and address some concerns. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz referred to it as a “pep rally.” This was a significant moment for the former president, as it marked his first visit to Capitol Hill since the Capitol riots over three years ago.
According to the Chair of the House Republican Conference, Rep. Elise Stefanik, the political gathering was a triumph, labeling it as “very successful”.
Speaking to reporters, Stefanik expressed her full support for Trump’s candidacy and emphasized the readiness of her team to work towards the betterment of the American people. She referred to Trump’s appearance as a unifying event that brought them all together.
According to recent polling by CBS News, President Trump and President Biden are currently in a close race nationally.
