Donald Trump and his GOP allies in Congress have recently shared some of the first details of their ambitious agenda — sweeping tax cuts, border security and raising the debt limit — which they hope to muscle through in the first 100 days of the president-elect’s term.

While Mr Trump didn’t threaten them, they agreed to change course. Some 15 minutes later, Mr Johnson was elected speaker. Conservative hardliners brought a range of complaints about Mr Johnson similar to those that doomed Mr McCarthy.