- The Washington Times - Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Former President Donald Trump is all-in on Rep. Jim Jordan’s quest to become the next speaker of the House.

Mr. Trump took to Truth Social Tuesday to let the world know he has the Ohio Republican’s back ahead of the leadership vote.

“Jim Jordan will be a GREAT Speaker of the House,” Mr. Trump wrote. “As everyone knows, I have long ago given him my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Mr. Trump has served as the de facto leader of the Republican Party despite losing the 2020 election to President Biden and has had a consistent ally in Mr. Jordan.

Mr. Jordan, a 59-year-old former collegiate wrestler and darling of grassroots conservatives, has been a vocal critic of the investigations into Mr. Trump. The congressman has pushed the idea that the Justice Department and FBI have been weaponized against conservatives.

Mr. Trump, meanwhile, was set to return Tuesday to the Manhattan courthouse for his New York civil fraud trial.

It’s the fourth time in a month he has been pulled off the campaign trail to be in court.

The lawsuit against Mr. Trump alleges that he and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump denied any wrongdoing.

“I greatly appreciate all of the legal professors and scholars that are saying I DID NOTHING WRONG,” Mr. Trump said in another social media post. “Our legal system is corrupt and broken! Everything emanates from Washington, ‘GET TRUMP.’”

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.

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