Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has one more day to win over skeptical House Republicans before they vote on whether he keeps the gavel.
In the narrow House GOP majority, Johnson can only afford to lose one vote, assuming all lawmakers are present and voting for a candidate — and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already vowed to oppose the Louisiana Republican.
Backed by President-elect Trump, Johnson is hoping to convince members of his conference, most prominently Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), to back him and avoid the messy Speakership fight that stalled the House for days in 2023.
At the same time, Louisiana and the nation are reeling from a New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans that killed at least 14 and injured 30 more. Some lawmakers were being briefed Thursday morning, and law enforcement is ramping up security in New Orleans and Washington, D.C.
Follow along for live updates below.
New Year’s attacks fuel fears of extremism in military
The primary suspects in two deadly attacks on New Year’s Day shared a history of service in the U.S. military, underscoring persistent fears over extremism within the armed services that officials have struggled to uproot.
The suspect behind a truck rampage in New Orleans that killed 14 people, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an Army veteran, while the man allegedly behind the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck before the international Trump hotel in Las Vegas, Matthew Livelsberger, was active-duty Army.
While not the first acts of military extremism, the two deadly attacks amplify questions about the extent of radical and unstable veterans and active-duty troops and whether the Pentagon’s efforts to identify and root out extremist beliefs is working.
Johnson says he hasn’t asked Trump to call any holdouts
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Thursday he has not asked President-elect Trump to make calls on his behalf to Republicans who are still on the fence about his bid to retain the gavel.
“No, I haven’t, no,” Johnson told reporters in a gaggle. “I met with him yesterday at Mar-a-Lago. We had a great visit. But I think this is going to turn out well tomorrow. And we’ll be unified, and we’ll get all this done.”
Trump reportedly spoke Thursday with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who has voiced skepticism about Johnson’s ability to win the necessary votes on Friday. A Trump spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about whether he had called other lawmakers.
Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he would make calls on Johnson’s behalf “if necessary,” but projected confidence the Louisiana Republican could win the gavel.
Pelosi returns to DC after hip surgery
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she is en route to Washington after recently undergoing a hip replacement surgery in Germany following a fall in Luxembourg last month.
“I am on my way to Washington to proudly represent the people of San Francisco in Congress. I’m honored to do so to share our San Francisco values,” Pelosi said in a video posted on social media platform X Thursday. “Thank you for giving me that honor.”
Conservatives leave meeting with Johnson
House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Scott Perry (R-Pa.) left Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) office.
The House conservatives have yet to commit to voting for Johnson for Speaker on Friday, and none said what they planned to do.
Freedom Caucus member: Getting to yes on Johnson ‘been the goal all along’
Reps. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and Michael Cloud (R-Texas), two Freedom Caucus members, left Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) office Thursday afternoon.
Clyde joked when asked about the meeting: “I think we were working on Project 2025.”
Asked if he could envision himself getting to yes, Cloud said: “I think that’s been the goal all along.”
Spartz, key Speaker holdout, says she will decide tomorrow on Johnson
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), who has been a key holdout in Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) quest to keep the gavel, said Thursday that she will decide Friday whether to vote for him.
“I will make [the] decision tomorrow,” Spartz told a group of reporters in the Capitol, adding that she and Johnson met and that it went well.
Spartz also told the reporters that she and the Speaker had talked to each other about the governance of the legislative branch. She emphasized the significance of sharing House Republicans’ future actions “publicly.”
“It’s not about me, or anyone else, it’s about the American people,” Spartz said. “We have to deliver to the American people.”
Biden: No connection found between New Orleans, Vegas attacks
President Biden on Thursday said that there is no evidence of a connection between the New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents and said that the New Orleans attacker acted alone, providing an update after meeting with his Homeland Security team.
“As of now … they have not found any evidence of such a connection thus far,” Biden said, adding that he directed his team to keep looking for connections.
Prospective nurse, football star among victims of New Orleans terror attack
Officials have not yet released the names of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans New Year’s Day attack, but families and friends have begun sharing information about some of them online.
New Orleans Coroner Dwight McKenna said the names of the dead will be released once autopsies are completed and officials have spoken with next of kin, The Associated Press reported.
Johnson talking to holdouts, open to changes
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he’s optimistic after speaking to Republican holdouts on Thursday.
“People are talking through process changes they want, and those kinds of things. And I’m open to that. And I think tomorrow’s going to go well,” he said.
Conservatives seek commitments as Johnson scrambles for Speaker votes
Roughly 12 hardline House conservatives are demanding a host of amorphous commitments from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to win their support on Friday, throwing his leadership tenure into uncertainty less than 24 hours before the vote.
The holdouts are largely seeking promises on spending cuts and assurances that rank-and-file members will be involved in negotiations for high-stakes legislation moving forward, multiple sources told The Hill, two topics that hardline Republicans have griped about for months.
“I would say it’s two things: One, we want a real commitment for real spending cuts. And then the other thing is that we want him to start using the members to negotiate these bills and what’s gonna be in these packages. Let the members work it out amongst each other, not the staff,” one House Republican who is undecided on supporting Johnson told The Hill on Thursday.
One source said each of the holdouts had specific, individual concerns, making it more difficult for Johnson to appease the entire group.
Here’s a list of ISIS-inspired attacks in the US
The man who drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd on New Year’s Day had recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to the FBI.
While most ISIS-linked attacks have occurred in the Middle East and Europe, individuals connected to the militant Islamic group have planned or carried out attacks in the U.S.
— Steph Whiteside from NewsNation
Rep-elect McBride en route to Washington
Rep-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) said she was headed to Washington Thursday ahead of the 119th Congress, where she is set to serve as the first openly transgender member.
“Alongside my family, I hopped aboard the Amtrak from Wilmington to Washington to fight for all working families. Because of your votes, I’m ready to become your new Member of Congress tomorrow,” McBride wrote in a post on the social platform X.
McBride, who made history in 2020 as the nation’s first transgender state lawmaker, has already faced some hostility from Republicans that she will soon call colleagues.
In November, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) filed a resolution to bar transgender women from women’s single-sex facilities on Capitol Hill, a move she said was “absolutely” driven by McBride’s election win that month. Other GOP members have repeatedly misgendered McBride in interviews and public statements. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) appeared to refer to McBride as “a dude in a dress” in a post on the social platform X in November.
In a Nov. 20 announcement, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said single-sex facilities on the House side of the Capitol complex “are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” leading to several demonstrations, including one attended by Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. army intelligence analyst and whistleblower.
McBride has said she will follow Johnson’s rule, even though she disagrees with it. “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms,” she said in a statement last month.
Las Vegas suspect suffered gunshot wound to head prior to explosion, police say
Las Vegas police said the suspect who died inside a Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel on Wednesday had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the explosion that destroyed the vehicle and injured seven people.
Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill released more information about the explosion in a press conference Thursday, saying that inside the Cybertruck authorities found fuel, fireworks, two semi-automatic firearms and identification that belonged to 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Biden convenes homeland security team over New Year’s attacks
President Biden gathered his homeland security team on Thursday to discuss the ongoing investigation of two deadly New Year’s Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas, respectively.
“We’re making every resource available to law enforcement to ensure there are no remaining threats to Americans,” he said in social media post on X.
Participants in the briefing included Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and other senior officials.
Vice President Harris also joined the meeting.
National Review editorial board makes case for Johnson Speakership
The National Review editorial board on Thursday urged Republicans in the House to stick behind Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a day ahead of the key leadership vote.
“Emerging from nowhere to the speakership, Johnson has filled the role ably,” it wrote. “He’s a reliable and thoughtful conservative who has proved a shrewd tactician. Likable and nonthreatening, he will never become a hate figure like some of his predecessors. He has managed the — for anyone in his role — all-important relationship with Trump well, given the circumstances.”
The board also made the case that because the GOP boasts of only 219 seats, Johnson can only afford to lose one member to keep the gavel. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already signaled he will vote against the Louisiana Republican.
The editorial board warned against putting Johnson through the same fate as former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was ousted in 2023 following a historic vote.
“It would be one thing to argue that weeks of chaos would be painful but ultimately lead to a better result. But last time, when a small element of the caucus ousted [former Speaker Kevin] McCarthy, it ended up with Johnson, who it now argues is just as bad as McCarthy,” they continued.
“It is almost a certainty that if Johnson is ousted in favor of somebody else, the replacement would end up running the House in a similar fashion, because the new speaker would be subject to the same constraints as Johnson and McCarthy were,” the piece concludes.
Read the full National Review editorial here.
Police arrest Georgia man for reckless driving near Capitol
United States Capitol Police arrested a Georgia man Thursday after he drove on a sidewalk near the Capitol building, which prompted authorities to shutdown roads in the area temporarily.
The driver, 26-year-old Hari R. Chanamolu, was determined to not be a threat to Congress or the Capitol grounds earlier Thursday morning. He was arrested for reckless driving
“Driving on the sidewalk is never a good idea – especially anywhere near the U.S. Capitol Building,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger in a statement. “I am proud of our officers for their quick reaction.”
This incident comes as the nation has been on high alert after two deadly attacks on New Year’s Day, which involved vehicles in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
On Wednesday, local police in Washington announced it would be heightening security this month out of an abundance of caution after the incidents.
“We have already been ramping up security, as planned, ahead of a busy month at the U.S. Capitol with the certification of the 2024 election, the state funeral, and the inauguration,” Manger added.
Thune urges quick confirmation of Trump nominees after deadly New Orleans attack
Sen. John Thune (R-N.D.), poised to become Senate Majority Leader, said the terror attack in New Orleans on Wednesday is a “clear example” of why President-elect Trump’s nominees for national security need to be pushed through “as quickly as possible.”
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the senseless terror attack in New Orleans,” Thune wrote Thursday on social platform X.
“With reports of ISIS inspiration, the American people expect clear answers from the administration,” he continued. “The threat posed by ISIS will outlast this administration, and this is a clear example of why the Senate must get President Trump’s national security team in place as quickly as possible.”
The attack, which left 15 people dead, has been investigated as a terrorist attack after a pro-Islamic State flag was found in the pickup truck the suspect drove into a Bourbon Street crowd on New Year’s Day. The FBI said Thursday that he likely acted alone.
What we know about New Orleans terror attacker
Early New Year’s Day a man plowed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and injuring many more.
The driver has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar. The incident is currently being investigated by the FBI as a terrorist attack.
Moment of silence expected at Sugar Bowl after New Orleans attack
The Sugar Bowl is set to have a moment of silence following the New Year’s pickup truck attack in New Orleans, a spokesperson for the event confirmed to The Hill on Thursday.
The college football quarter final game between the University of Georgia and University of Notre Dame was originally set to be held Wednesday night, but was delayed until 4 p.m. EST on Thursday. The moment of silence for the attack, which left at least 15 people dead, will take place before the national anthem, according to the spokesperson.
Graham blasts media over coverage of ‘barbaric’ New Orleans attack
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) ripped the media coverage of the suspected terrorist attack on New Year revelers in New Orleans early Wednesday morning, arguing the alleged crime should be treated as an act of war.
“As I watch coverage of this barbaric, cowardly attack that was ISIS-inspired, it is disturbing how far America has drifted from the fact that we are in a state of war with radical Islamic forces,” Graham wrote in a Thursday post on X.
Rep.-elect Gill: Trump wants Johnson as Speaker ‘So Mike’s the guy’
Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-Texas) said he will support Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) for a second term with the gavel citing President-elect Trump’s endorsement as a motivating factor.
“Because of President Trump, we have a majority in the House and Senate. The American people want to see the Trump agenda expeditiously and aggressively executed: Trump has the mandate,” Gill wrote in a Thursday post on X.
“To do it, President Trump wants @SpeakerJohnson So Mike’s the guy!”
His vote will be crucial as Johnson can only afford one GOP defection assuming all members are present and voting for a candidate.
Mike Waltz: Deadly attacks add urgency to confirming Trump nominees
President-elect Trump’s incoming national security adviser argued Monday that the attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people underscored the need to quickly confirm a slew of Cabinet nominees.
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) said on “Fox & Friends” that the terror attack in the early hours of New Year’s Day showed how critical it would be for Trump to have his national security team in place, including some more controversial nominees to lead the FBI and Pentagon.
“That has to be in place day one, guys, because this is a — this is a moment in transition of vulnerability and President Trump is going to project because he is a leader of strength, the narrative that we project on day one will be the just important and that’s having our people in place,” Waltz said.
Pelosi returning to Washington ahead of Speaker’s vote
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she was returning to the Capitol ahead of Friday’s Speaker vote in a video message on X.
“On my way to Washington, DC to proudly represent the people of San Francisco and share our San Francisco values in the Congress of the United States,” she wrote.
“Thank you for giving me that honor! -NP”
Pelosi was recently released from a hospital in Luxembourg after a fall down the stairs resulted in a hip replacement surgery. She was there with a Congressional delegation for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.
Her attendance at Friday’s vote is particularly notable because of the narrow margins Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) must overcome to keep the gavel.
All Dems expected to participate in Speaker’s vote
All Democrats are expected to be in the Capitol on Friday for the vote to seat the next Speaker of the House, according to the Democratic Whip’s office.
The full participation of Democrats is significant, given the razor-thin margins in the lower chamber and the threat from some conservative Republicans to oppose the bid by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the current Speaker, to keep his gavel in the 119th Congress.
Already, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is vowing to vote for someone other than Johnson on the floor on Friday, which means that one more GOP defection would deny Johnson the simple majority of voting members needed to secure the Speakership — if all Democrats are on the floor and voting for their Speaker preference: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
If even one Democrat is absent, Johnson can afford two GOP defections and still win the gavel. If three Democrats did not participate, he could afford three.
Those dynamics have made the question of Democratic attendance a topic of great interest in Washington — a question fueled by health problems facing a small handful of Democratic lawmakers. That list includes Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who has spent much of the last year undergoing treatment for lung cancer, and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who recently had hip-replacement surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Germany after suffering a fall in Luxembourg last month.
On Thursday morning, Pelosi posted a short message on X from inside an airplane, which she said is en route to Washington. And the office of Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.), the Democratic whip, said party leaders are expecting all members of the caucus to be on hand for Friday’s vote.
FBI says New Orleans attacker ‘100 percent inspired by ISIS’
The FBI said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver in the New Orleans attack, claimed to have joined ISIS ahead of the summer, though his links to the group remain unclear.
“That path to radicalization – that we’re really going to be digging into and making a priority,” Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said, describing Jabbar as “100 percent inspired by ISIS.”
“We’re working with some of our other partners to to ascertain…a little bit more about that connection.”
Raia said authorities had recovered three phones belonging to Jabbar as well as two laptops that they planned to search.
New Orleans attacker acted alone, FBI says
The FBI said they believe Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone in New Orleans in what they described as a terror attack inspired by ISIS.
“Let me be very clear about this point, this was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” said Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, on Thursday.
“We do not assess at this point…that anyone else is involved in this attack,” he said, adding later they were confident there were “no accomplices” involved in the attack.
Police clear suspicious vehicle near Capitol, arrest driver
Capitol Police say they’ve cleared the suspicious vehicle they were investigating near the Capitol Thursday morning.
“Before 10 a.m., our officers spotted a car that had been driving along the sidewalk, near Peace Circle, and into the grassy area near Third Street, NW, & Constitution Avenue,” police wrote in a statement on X.
“Officers took the man into custody. Please continue to avoid the area while we investigate the car.”
Police later wrote that, “Our bomb squad cleared the car and declared that it is safe. The driver is being arrested for reckless driving. Please continue to avoid the area, while our investigators continue their work.”
Roads in the area are set to reopen shortly.
Bourbon Street to reopen Thursday ahead of Sugar Bowl
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a Thursday press conference that Bourbon Street would reopen ahead of the Sugar Bowl at 3 p.m.
Police investigating suspicious vehicle near Capitol
U.S. Capitol Police said they are investigating a suspicious vehicle near the Capitol.
“Before 10 a.m., our officers spotted a car that had been driving along the sidewalk, near Peace Circle, and into the grassy area near Third Street, NW, & Constitution Avenue. Officers took the man into custody. Please continue to avoid the area while we investigate the car,” the agency said on the social platform X.
A number of streets in the area are closed and authorities urged people to avoid the area.
Raskin: No evidence connecting New Orleans, Las Vegas attacks — but still developing information
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Thursday said authorities told lawmakers they haven’t found evidence connecting the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks — though he cautioned new information could still come to light.
“Well, you know, they’re just developing the facts now, so they wanted to caution everybody, you know, not to jump to conclusions,” Raskin said on CNN after receiving a briefing from the FBI. “But right now, they do not have evidence that this was connected to the incident in Las Vegas, or that he was working with anyone else at the time, but it’s very possible that new information surfaces in the hours and days to come.”