President-elect Donald Trump addresses House Republicans at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)
Share
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
President-elect Donald Trump addressed jubilant House Republicans on Wednesday morning, delivering triumphant remarks centered around his own electoral victory and drawing laughter when he hinted that they could pave the way for him to serve a third term in office.
Fresh off elections that put them on track to reclaim the House majority, Republicans greeted Trump with a standing ovation in a closed-door meeting in a hotel near the Capitol. It came just before his meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House.
“Isn’t it nice to win?” Trump asked to raucous applause.
Related Story: As Trump Pushes Peace Talks, Ukraine Prioritizes Security Guarantees
Trump Jokes About Third Term
He later added: “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out.’” (The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, though Trump has mused before about circumventing that restriction.)
Trump, who has so far tapped two House Republican lawmakers to serve in his Cabinet, depleting the party’s already narrow expected margin of control, also ribbed the group about wanting “15 members” from their ranks to serve in his administration. He promised he would stagger the appointments, taking only a few at a time. Republicans are now on track to have a single-digit majority in the House that could make it extraordinarily difficult for their leaders to accomplish anything.
During the meeting, Trump offered his support for Speaker Mike Johnson, who is expected to be renominated as the top Republican in the House later Wednesday, saying he was “with him all the way.”
Joining him at the meeting was Elon Musk, the billionaire who has ascended to a position of wide-ranging influence in Trump’s transition and Tuesday was given the task of leading an effort to make the government smaller and more efficient. Musk sat in the front row among the lawmakers and next to Johnson’s wife. He received a standing ovation when Trump complimented him.
Trump later joked that Musk, who has become a ubiquitous presence around the president-elect, just wouldn’t go away, according to lawmakers who attended.
–
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
By Catie Edmondson, Karoun Demirjian and Maya C. Miller/Eric Lee
c. 2024 The New York Times Company
RELATED TOPICS:
Madera County Crash Claims One Life, Hospitalizes Other Driver
11 hours ago
Bears Hire Lions’ Offensive Guru Ben Johnson as Their Head Coach
11 hours ago
Senate Confirms Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Giving Trump the First Member of His Cabinet
11 hours ago
Musk Is Likely to Get a West Wing Office for His Cost-Cutting Project
11 hours ago
Elon Musk Ignites Online Speculation Over the Meaning of a Hand Gesture
12 hours ago
Canada Relieved Trump Doesn’t Impose Tariffs on the Major US Trading Partner on First Day
12 hours ago
Ramaswamy Won’t Serve on Trump’s Government Efficiency Commission, Eyes Ohio Governor Run
13 hours ago
Trump Issues Sweeping Pardon of Supporters Charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol Attack