Today has been a wild ride for the United States of America. Since yesterday it has been reported that President Donald Trump is willing to accept the House speakership for a short period of time in order to help ensure Republicans get a suitable replacement to temporarily fill the position. This move is unprecedented as presidents generally abstain from willingly taking up a position in their administration’s own legislature.
According to a working-level official in the Trump White House, accepting the House speakership is mainly an effort to ensure well-prepared candidates are ready to fill the position once a permanent replacement for former speaker Paul Ryan is chosen. The president is said to believe that by him taking over the position it would ensure the GOP’s success, in the short-term, at least.
The current House Speaker is a contentious figure as the Republican Party has been left with no obvious leader, following Ryan’s retirement. There have been a bevy of names floated to fill the position; however, many of the names have come with their own set of potential difficulties and potential dissent inside the ranks of the Republican Party itself.
The idea of a president directly taking a seat in the U.S. Congress in order to fill a temporary leadership position has not gone without criticism. Some have pointed out that while President Trump may want to ensure the success of the Republican Party’s future, it is likely something that President Trump should not use as a political tool or a form of manipulation.
While the idea of a president taking up a House speakership is unique, President Trump’s decision to accept, albeit for a relatively short period of time, is not without its merits. It goes to show that the President is willing to go the extra mile, and put his own political influence on the line for his party’s sake.
It will be interesting to see if more information surfaces regarding President Trump’s plan to temporarily assume the role of House speaker. Until then, the wait continues to see who will be appointed as the permanent leader of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives.