President Donald Trump said he would remain neutral in the contest to lead House Republicans after their midterm defeat, leaving lawmakers to choose between Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise without a White House endorsement.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, Nov. 4, that he will not intervene in the Republican House leadership contest following Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to step aside after Democrats captured control of the chamber in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump declined to endorse a candidate to succeed Johnson as the top House Republican when the new Congress convenes in January.
“We’ll stay out of it,” Trump told reporters when asked whether he intended to influence the leadership election.
The president also praised Johnson and other members of the Republican leadership team, describing them as “fantastic” and “all good people,” according to The Washington Post’s election coverage.
Trump denied asking Johnson to withdraw from consideration for the minority leader position, distancing himself from the speaker’s decision as Republicans began assessing the consequences of losing their congressional majority.
Johnson informed staff members Wednesday morning that he would not seek to become House minority leader, ending his tenure as the party’s top-ranking House member after approximately three years as speaker.
In a letter to Republican colleagues, Johnson attributed his decision partly to the personal demands of congressional leadership and the sacrifices made by his family.
“After three years in this role, I believe the time has come for me to give them more of the attention and presence they so richly deserve,” Johnson wrote, according to Axios.
The Louisiana Republican also defended his record, citing legislation advanced during his speakership and the party’s work with the Trump administration. He did not announce plans to leave Congress and is expected to continue representing his Louisiana district.
Johnson’s withdrawal opened a contest between House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), both of whom have pursued leadership positions in previous Republican elections.
Jordan formally announced his candidacy Wednesday in a letter to colleagues, emphasizing his experience conducting congressional investigations and his intention to challenge the incoming Democratic majority.
According to Reuters, Jordan identified law enforcement, lower taxes and traditional conservative priorities as central elements of his proposed leadership strategy.
Scalise, meanwhile, has indicated that he intends to seek the position, emphasizing his experience coordinating Republican legislative efforts and his relationships throughout the House Republican Conference.
Both lawmakers previously competed for the speakership after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed in October 2023.
Scalise initially won an internal Republican nomination but withdrew after failing to secure enough support to prevail on the House floor. Jordan subsequently pursued the position but also failed to win sufficient backing, allowing Johnson to emerge as a compromise candidate.
The leadership contest will take place against a different political backdrop. Republicans are preparing to become the minority party in the House after losing numerous competitive districts in the Nov. 3 elections.
According to The Associated Press, Johnson’s departure follows a campaign in which he traveled extensively to support Republican candidates and raise money to preserve the party’s narrow majority.
Despite those efforts, Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, leaving Republicans facing internal disagreements over campaign strategy, economic policy and the administration’s handling of the war with Iran.
The Republican Conference is scheduled to hold its leadership elections Nov. 10. Candidates must declare their intentions by noon Friday, Nov. 6, according to ABC News.
The next minority leader will be selected through a secret ballot of Republican House members, with a majority of the conference required to win.
Unlike the speaker, who is elected by the full House, the minority leader is chosen internally by members of the party holding fewer seats. The position carries responsibility for directing legislative strategy, coordinating opposition to the majority party and organizing efforts to regain congressional control.
The incoming Republican leader will also face decisions about how aggressively to confront Democratic investigations involving the Trump administration.
House Democrats have indicated that they intend to use their new committee majorities to expand oversight of federal agencies and senior administration officials. Jordan has extensive experience participating in congressional investigations, while Scalise has served in House Republican leadership for more than a decade.
Trump’s decision to remain neutral means neither candidate currently has a public endorsement from the president, whose support has frequently played an important role in Republican congressional leadership contests.
Johnson’s selection as speaker in 2023 followed weeks of internal Republican disputes, and his subsequent relationship with Trump became an important component of his leadership.
The president’s decision not to endorse a successor leaves House Republicans responsible for resolving their leadership contest as the party prepares to operate in the minority during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
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