Rep. Burchett predicts Johnson will keep speaker's gavel after Trump endorsement

Tennessee GOP Rep. Tim Burchett on Monday predicted that House Speaker Mike Johnson would keep his position in the next Congress, after President-elect Donald Trump endorsed him ahead of Friday's vote.

Trump endorsed Johnson earlier Monday, stating that Americans need "immediate relief" from the chaos of President Joe Biden's policies, and that he knows Johnson would work hard to get the necessary legislation passed. 

The endorsement comes after some Republicans stated they were not sure who they would support in Johnson's bid for the gavel, and others have indicated Trump's support for Johnson could sway those on the fence. One lawmaker said he still won't vote for Johnson, who can only afford to lose a handful of votes because of the GOP's slim majority in the chamber.

Burchett did not indicate whether he would support Johnson's bid later this week, but said he thinks Johnson has the votes to remain speaker.

“I think he ultimately will [win]. I think the die has been cast pretty much," Burchett told Fox News. “I’ll talk to Mike some and maybe President Trump even, and discuss some ideas and issues that I have."

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday also endorsed Johnson, stating that he agreed with Trump's take on the speaker, and that Johnson has his "full support." Johnson has faced backlash after he helped present a massive government spending bill despite conservative calls to slash federal spending.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.