Almost exactly one year ago, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer was headed toward becoming the next Republican Speaker of the House — until Donald Trump said no.
For one brief afternoon in October 2023, Emmer was the GOP nominee to be speaker. Only for Trump to speak up, and for Emmer to almost immediately drop out.
“I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Oct. 24, 2023. “RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them.”