Trump says embattled House Republican Speaker Johnson doing 'good job'

Donald Trump threw his support behind embattled U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday, seeking to demonstrate unity as Johnson struggles to quell dissent within his fractious Republican majority. "He's doing a really good job under very tough circumstances," Trump said at a press conference with Johnson at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Donald Trump threw his support behind embattled U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday, seeking to demonstrate unity as Johnson struggles to quell dissent within his fractious Republican majority.

"He's doing a really good job under very tough circumstances," Trump said at a press conference with Johnson at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Johnson gained the speaker's gavel in a weeks-long October nominating battle after a handful of House Republican hardliners orchestrated the ouster of his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, a historic first.

Another party hardliner, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, has threatened to make a similar move against Johnson if he allows a vote on more aid for Ukraine as it struggles to fight off a Russian invasion. Greene had also voiced opposition to a surveillance bill the House passed on Friday. Trump referred to Greene as a friend but expressed clear disapproval of her threat to oust Johnson.

"It's unfortunate that people bring it up, because right now we have much bigger problems," Trump said. "I think he's doing a very good job. He's doing about as good a job as you're going to do. I'm sure that Marjorie understands that. She's a very good friend of mine. And I know she has a lot of respect for the speaker." In a post on X after Trump's press conference with Johnson, Greene said she supported Trump but did not support Johnson. She made no mention of her threat to force a vote to remove Johnson from leadership.

The appearance with the Republican presidential candidate could help buck up Johnson's standing with his 218-213 majority. His own members have repeatedly torpedoed his legislative priorities, including this week by temporarily blocking the surveillance bill and in February, when it took two efforts to advance a bid to approve articles of impeachment against Democratic President Joe Biden's top border official, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Trump, who holds great sway with congressional Republicans, has also regularly weighed in on legislation, including killing a bipartisan U.S.-Mexico border security deal, passage of which could have weakened one of his key attacks against Biden.

Greene this week repeated her threats to oust Johnson. "I support President Trump and am working as hard as possible to help him win in November and winning a Republican House and Senate majority," Greene said on X after the Trump-Johnson news conference. "But I do not support Speaker Johnson."

NOVEMBER FOCUS The two unveiled a proposal linking one of Trump's key campaign issues - a surge in migrants entering the country illegally via the U.S.-Mexico border - to his longstanding false claim that U.S. elections are marred by widespread fraud.

Johnson pledged to introduce legislation that would require voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before voting. Without providing evidence, Johnson said that large numbers of people entering the country illegally were being encouraged by Democrats to register to vote. The Democratic National Committee had no immediate comment on the allegation. "We'll be able to ask this very important question of the Democrats ... Do you believe that Americans, and Americans alone, should be the ones who vote in American elections?" Johnson said. "We're about to find out their answer." Even if the House passes such a bill, it is unlikely to receive a warm reception in the Democratic-majority Senate or be signed into law by Biden. U.S. federal law already prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections.