Published: 4:12am, 4 Jan 2025Updated: 5:01am, 4 Jan 2025
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson was reelected to the chamber’s top job on Friday in a lengthy vote that highlighted persistent divisions among Donald Trump’s Republicans on Capitol Hill.
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Johnson appeared to initially fall short of the majority he would need to retain his job in an hour-long roll-call vote, but two Republican opponents switched their votes to support him after more than half an hour of negotiations. He won re-election with 218 votes – the minimum number needed.
Republicans control the chamber by a razor-thin 219-215 majority.
US president-elect Trump congratulated Johnson, hailing his victory as a sign of the country’s bright future.
“Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary. The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership,” Trump, who had backed Johnson, posted on social media.
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“America will be greater than ever before!”