Speaker Johnson says he’s ‘all in’ for Trump in 2024

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday he is “all in” for backing former President Trump in next year’s election.

“I have endorsed him wholeheartedly.” Johnson said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” 

“He had a phenomenal first term,” Johnson later added. “His first two years, as you all know, we brought about the greatest economic numbers in the history of the world, not just the country, because his policies work. And I’m all in for President Trump.”

Johnson said he expects Trump will be the GOP nominee and that the party would “have to make Biden a one-term president.”

When pressed further about whether Trump was “fundamentally divisive” to the country, Johnson emphasized the former president’s policies, not his personality, are what matters.

“Listen, I think when we’re voting for president, it can’t be about personalities,” he said. “It’s got to be about policies and principles and if you want liberty, opportunity and security for more people in the country.”

Johnson continued, saying when contrasting the policies and principles Trump and Biden stand for, “it’s not even close.” Johnson also argued that under Trump, the U.S. enjoyed a thriving economy and that “we didn’t have all these skirmishes around the world,” referring to the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars.

He suggested the U.S. needs to make “radical changes” due to the policies of President Biden.

“We can’t handle inflation. We can’t handle these things and these are the results of the policies of the Biden White House. I think that’s clear to most people,” Johnson said. 

Johnson was elected Speaker last month, nearly three weeks after eight Republicans sided with Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Trump praised Johnson at the time of his election and took credit for Johnson’s rise to victory.

“At this time yesterday, nobody was thinking of Mike,” Trump said shortly after Johnson was elected. “And then we put out the word, and now he’s the Speaker of the House. So I want to just thank all of the supporters that I have, and I want to thank all the supporters that Mike has, and again, he’ll be a great Speaker. I think you’re going to be very proud.”