Mike Johnson re-elected U.S. House speaker
The vote, which lasted nearly two hours on Friday, initially saw Mr Johnson fall short of the 218 votes needed to retain the role.
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Mike Johnson has been re-elected as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The vote, which lasted nearly two hours on Friday, initially saw Mr Johnson fall short of the 218 votes needed to retain the role.
However, Mr Johnson narrowly secured the position after prolonged negotiations. Two Republican holdouts switched their votes in his favour, enabling him to achieve the minimum majority.
Mr Johnson’s victory came as Republicans maintained a slim 219-215 majority in the House. The vote served as a significant early test of party unity.
President-elect Donald Trump, who had earlier endorsed Mr Johnson for the role, congratulated him on his emergence as U.S. House Speaker.
“Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress. 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. They’ll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!” Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
