Van Orden Criticizes Chip Roy as Trump Backs Johnson for Speaker Role

Republican Representative Derrick Van Orden (Wis.) criticized his colleague, Representative Chip Roy (Texas), on the social media platform X, for opposing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in his effort to retain the Speaker's gavel. 

The intraparty squabble highlights the growing tension among Republicans as President-elect Donald Trump throws his weight behind Johnson’s bid.

Van Orden, a staunch Trump supporter, took aim at Roy, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over the party’s broader goals. “@realDonaldTrump received a mandate from the American people in November. @chiproytx did not,” Van Orden wrote.

“It is the America First Agenda, not the Chip Roy First Agenda. It is Make America Great Again, not make Chip Roy Great. President Trump is fighting for America; Chip is fighting to keep his brand marketable.”

Van Orden continued by asserting that leadership requires the ability to follow.

“Some people apparently need to understand that in order to be a Leader, you have to learn how to follow first. I would love to work with Chip, but he needs to understand he can be part of the Team, but there is no way in hell he is the Captain. The Captain will be moving back into the White House shortly, and his 1st Lieutenant is @SpeakerJohnson,” he added.

The remarks come as Roy remains steadfast in his opposition to another term for Johnson as Speaker, despite Trump’s endorsement. Roy expressed his reservations during an appearance on Fox Business’s “Varney & Co.” on Tuesday, citing concerns about Johnson's past leadership.

“I remain undecided, as do a number of my colleagues, because we saw so many of the failures last year that we are concerned about. These might limit or inhibit our ability to advance the president’s agenda,” Roy said.

Critics of Johnson have raised multiple issues, including his stance on Ukraine and his handling of the short-term spending deal passed just before Christmas.

Many within the party worry that Johnson’s approach could complicate efforts to push forward Trump’s America First agenda.

The Speaker’s race is razor-thin, with Johnson needing to secure nearly unanimous support within his party. Any significant defections could jeopardize his leadership bid.

Roy highlighted this challenge, stating, “Right now, I don’t believe he has the votes on Friday.”

As tensions rise, the Republican Party faces mounting pressure to unite under Johnson’s leadership. However, fractures within the GOP continue to deepen, with differing views on how best to navigate key policy issues and align with Trump’s vision for the party.

Trump’s endorsement of Johnson signals a push for solidarity, but whether this will sway undecided members like Roy remains uncertain.