United States Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has publicly endorsed tech mogul Elon Musk for the position of Speaker of the House.
This endorsement was made through a statement on Paul's official X account, where he emphasized the unconventional nature of his proposal.
Senator Paul, a Republican known for his constitutional conservatism and support of the Tea Party movement, stated, "The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress. Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk... think about it... nothing’s impossible." He further added that such a move would bring joy in witnessing the "collective establishment, aka 'uniparty,' lose their ever-lovin’ minds."
This endorsement comes at a time when current House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing significant backlash from within the GOP over his handling of a bipartisan spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown.
The proposed bill, which includes over $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers, has been criticized by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
They labeled it as the "most foolish and inept thing" done by Republicans in Congress, particularly for allowing the country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025.
Elon Musk, who has been selected by Trump to co-lead the incoming administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also expressed his disapproval of the spending bill.
On Wednesday, Musk took to X to urge voters to oust any lawmaker supporting the "outrageous" bill, stating, "This bill should not pass." Amidst this political turmoil, Speaker Johnson's team is reportedly working on a backup plan to prevent a government shutdown before Friday's deadline, according to Politico.
The idea of Musk as Speaker has gained traction among some Republicans, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who expressed her openness to supporting Musk for the role. She remarked that electing Musk could send a strong message to those favoring the status quo in Congress.
While the notion of Musk becoming Speaker is intriguing, it poses potential conflicts of interest given his status as the world's wealthiest person. Moreover, the role of Speaker involves significant responsibilities, including being part of the "Gang of 8," a group of top congressional leaders briefed on highly classified US intelligence.
Despite these challenges, the US Constitution does not require the Speaker to be an elected member of Congress, making Musk's candidacy technically feasible. However, due to his South African birth, Musk would not be eligible to become President, a role traditionally second in line after the Vice President.
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