Rand Paul, the U.S. Senator from Kentucky, has publicly endorsed Elon Musk to become the next Speaker of the House.
The senator shared his thoughts on the matter through a post on his official X account on Thursday, suggesting that the position of House Speaker does not necessarily require prior congressional experience.
“The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress. Nothing would shake up the status quo more than electing Elon Musk… think about it… nothing’s impossible. (And just imagine the reaction from the establishment, the so-called ‘uniparty,’ when that happens),” he stated.
This endorsement comes as current House Speaker Mike Johnson faces criticism from within the GOP over his management of an end-of-year spending deal.
Johnson’s recent proposal aimed to fund the government until March 14, allocating over $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion for agricultural assistance, along with healthcare reforms and measures to improve transparency in live event ticketing.
Former President Donald Trump and incoming Vice President JD Vance condemned the plan on Wednesday, labeling it as one of the “most foolish and inept actions” taken by Republicans in Congress, particularly because it allowed the nation to approach the debt ceiling in 2025.
Elon Musk, whom Trump has appointed to co-lead the upcoming administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also criticized the proposed spending bill. He suggested on X that any lawmaker supporting the “outrageous” proposal should face repercussions in the next election, stating, “This bill should not pass.”
In the midst of this turmoil, Speaker Johnson’s team is reportedly exploring alternative spending strategies to avert a government shutdown ahead of the impending Friday deadline, according to Politico.
