Speaker of the House of Representatives decides to resign after Republican defeat

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, speaks during the Republican convention in Dallas, on September 10, 2026. (Photo: AP/Julio Cortez). — Photo: AP/Julio Cortez

Johnson is the third official in the presidential line of succession, behind President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Asked by AFP about the information that Johnson would leave office, the spokesman responded with a single-word email: "Correct."

The Republican congressman from Louisiana communicated the decision to his team this Wednesday morning, one day after Democrats won control of both Houses of Congress. Trump praised Johnson this Wednesday and said he was "fantastic" in front of the House.

At 54 years old, Johnson has held the presidency of the House since October 2023. He came to office as a consensus candidate among Republicans, after weeks of internal disputes that followed the dismissal of his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.

Johnson's departure from leadership paves the way for a dispute between the current Republican majority leader, Steve Scalise, also a representative from Louisiana, and Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and representative from Ohio. Jordan is one of the party's most conservative parliamentarians and an ally of Trump.

The American president stated that he does not intend to interfere in the choice of the next Republican leader of the House. The internal vote is scheduled for next Tuesday.

Johnson was re-elected to his term as Representative from Louisiana. The decision to step down from leadership, therefore, does not mean that he will immediately resign as speaker of the House or his seat in Congress.