Republicans go wild as Speaker Mike Johnson suggests surprising job for Trump once his presidency is over
House Speaker Mike Johnson prompted an enthusiastic reaction from Republicans at the party's midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday night when he floated the idea that Donald Trump could seek a seat in the House of Representatives after leaving the White House. Johnson invoked John Quincy Adams, the only former US president to later win election to Congress, before quickly appearing to walk the suggestion back, joking that Trump would be "too busy" for such a role.
Johnson made the remarks while describing the Capitol's Statuary Hall, where brass plaques mark the spots of lawmakers who went on to become president, noting Adams won a House seat in 1830 and served until his death in 1848. The comment came on the final night of the Republican National Committee's first midterm convention, held to rally support ahead of the November 3 elections; Trump used his own address to urge supporters to turn out for congressional Republicans despite his own name not being on the ballot, while Johnson framed the vote as a "contrast between common sense and crazy" as the GOP seeks to defy the historic trend of the president's party losing seats at midterms.
In short
- Johnson jokingly suggested Trump could run for Congress after his presidency
- He cited John Quincy Adams as the historical precedent
- Remarks came at RNC's Dallas convention ahead of 11 November midterms
Explained simply
Republicans held their first midterm convention in Dallas this week, a rallying event ahead of the 3 November congressional elections, in which all seats in the House of Representatives and some in the Senate are up for grabs. House Speaker Mike Johnson is the top Republican in the House and a key figure in shaping the party's midterm message, while Donald Trump, though not himself on the ballot, remains the party's most influential voice and has been urging supporters to back Republican candidates.
Midterm elections often go badly for the party holding the White House, so Republicans are keen to defy that pattern and keep control of Congress. Speeches at events like this one are aimed at energising the party's base, and remarks made from the podium, including throwaway jokes or historical references, tend to get close attention as clues to how senior figures are thinking about Trump's political future.
John Quincy Adams is relevant here as the only former US president who later returned to Congress, winning a House seat some years after leaving the presidency and serving there until his death. His example is sometimes invoked as a historical precedent when discussing unconventional post-presidential careers.