United States: Mike Johnson, a loyal ally of Donald Trump, was elected President of the House of Representatives after weeks of chaos

The elected official from Louisiana, unknown to the general public, managed to get 220 votes in the vote.

Published on October 25, 2023 8:10 p.m. Updated on October 25, 2023 8:57 p.m

Reading time: 1 min

Republican Mike Johnson in the US Congress on October 25, 2023 in Washington. (CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

The end of a soap opera with twists. Conservative Mike Johnson, an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, was elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, October 25, ending three chaotic weeks of gridlock in Congress.

The elected official from Louisiana, unknown to the general public, managed to get 220 votes in the vote. In addition to embarrassing the right, the standoff in the House has so far prevented Congress from acting on President Joe Biden’s request for aid to Ukraine and Israel, which are at war with Russia and Hamas, respectively.

Avoid “shutdown”.

Mike Johnson entered the House of Representatives in 2017 after causing controversy with legislation that was seen as hostile to LGBT+ people in Louisiana. The father of four also voted against codifying federal protections for same-sex marriage last year.

The elected official must now hold talks to avoid a government shutdown, not just with experienced negotiators like Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, but also with members of his own party. He will also have to navigate the positions of his Republican colleagues, who have shown deep disagreements for weeks, particularly over President Biden’s requested funding for Ukraine and Israel.

View comments

Share: The article on social networks