Trump Arrives in Washington and Jokes He May Be President Forever

Donald Trump landed in Washington Wednesday to celebrate Republicans’ soon-to-be control over the White House and Congress, and visit lame-duck President Joe Biden in person.

Trump‘s arrival on Capitol Hill comes as Republicans are choosing their leadership in both chambers ahead of January, when their reign of power begins.

In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson was a shoo-in to win re-election to the top role with Trump’s blessing—even though a few outstanding House races have not yet been officially called. Still, Republicans were all but assured of retaining a slim majority.

But in the Senate, Trump‘s visit was a muscle-flexing show of power as he wants a majority leader who will be sure to follow his lead and fully back his agenda.

Trump’s policy initiatives include what he promised on the campaign trail would be the biggest deportation in U.S. history; massive tax cuts, tariffs and slashing the federal workforce and government spending—which may explain why he brought his wingman, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, with him to Washington.

Trump announced on Tuesday that Musk, along with one-time GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, will head the new “Department of Government Efficiency”—whose acronym, DOGE, is a nod to the dog-themed cryptocurrency, which spiked yesterday after Trump’s announcement.

Vice President-elect JD Vance was at the Senate to cast his secret ballot for the next majority leader who will replace the longest serving Senate leader in history: Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Trump addressed House Republicans, gloating over his stunning election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We won every way, all seven swing states—by a lot,“ Trump said. ”Michigan was great. Couldn’t be better, I tell you.”

Trump, who, by law, can only serve one more non-consecutive term, joked that perhaps Republicans would like to reconsider those constitutional restrictions.

Trump was also looming over the Senate majority leader three-way race. Musk and other Trump allies are backing Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who has close ties to the president-elect’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Scott is an insurgent candidate facing Sens. John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas.

Trump is also visiting the White House, his first since Jan. 2021 following his election loss to Biden.

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