Trump’s Return To White House Could Get Bumpy If House Cannot Elect A Speaker

President-elect Donald Trump‘s return to the White House could face complications if the House cannot elect a speaker by the inauguration early next year.

On “Sunday Morning Futures,” Fox News anchor Jason Chaffetz shared a quote from senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram explaining a scenario in which Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) could become acting president because the 91-year-old is slated to return as Senate president pro tempore, a position third in line to the presidency.

“The House absolutely, unequivocally cannot do anything until it elects a speaker. Period … This also means that the House cannot certify the results of the Electoral College, making Trump the 47th president of the United States, on Jan 6th.

What happens if the Electoral College isn’t sorted out by Jan. 20? Well, President Biden is done. So he’s gone, the same with [Vice President Kamala] Harris. Next in the presidential line of succession is the speaker of the House. Well, there’s no speaker.

So who becomes the president? … If the House is still frittering away time, trying to elect a speaker on Jan. 20, President Pro Tem of the Senate Chuck Grassley likely becomes ‘acting president.’

I write ‘likely’ because this gets into some serious extra-constitutional turf. These are unprecedented scenarios. Strange lands never visited in the American political experience.”

In the coming days, the House is expected to vote for speaker. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) is running to keep the gavel, but a handful of Republicans have talked about considering someone else for speaker amid frustrations with Johnson’s handling of certain bills, including spending and surveillance legislation. A simple majority is needed, but the GOP’s margin is only a few members wide and so far it appears no Democrats will cross the aisle and support Johnson.

Some GOP lawmakers have warned of the repercussions for Trump if the House is unable to settle on someone for speaker.

“It’s going to delay the certification of President Trump’s election. It’s going to delay the start of his first 100 days in office, which is the most important time frame of his whole presidency,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said during a “Sunday Morning Futures” interview. “That’s when you get the most done historically. So, I strongly encourage President Trump to get on the phone and try to get everyone united so we can work together as a team and make America great again.”