Rand Paul suggests replacing Mike Johnson with Elon Musk as Speaker of the House

Paul took to Musk's X on Thursday morning to pitch the idea of the tech billionaire taking the House speaker's gavel, noting that the speaker does not need to be a sitting member of Congress.

Musk, an outspoken critic of government waste, has weighed in on the spending bill debate and led a conservative revolt against the latest plan due to its bloated spending provisions - calling for lawmakers who supported the bill to lose their seats.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., confirmed to reporters that the deal was dead while leaving the Capitol on Wednesday night. It came after GOP critics of the spending bill spent much of the day attacking Johnson's handling of the issue.

It's unclear if Paul was serious in his suggestion or if the post was made with tongue-in-cheek.

Democratic political strategist Jimmy Williams balked at the idea.

"Senators should stick to Senating and House Members should stick to their Chamber," Williams wrote on X. "No House Member gives a damn what a Senator thinks about who should be Speaker."

However, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., backed the idea.

"I'd be open to supporting @elonmusk for Speaker of the House," Greene wrote on X, replying to Paul. "DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency. The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday. This could be the way."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D- N.Y., said last week that no Democrats will vote for Johnson on Jan. 3 when his leadership is scheduled to be voted on.

With Republicans set to hold a four-seat majority, Johnson retaining the gavel is not guaranteed.

With Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., saying she will no longer caucus with Republicans while remaining a registered Republican, that may reduce Johnson's support to a single vote.

Paul is not the only senator to weigh in on Johnson's leadership.

On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, took aim at the House speaker for the chaotic situation playing out on Capitol Hill and suggested change.

"It's ridiculous. It's a horrible plan. I can't believe that Republican leadership ever cooked it up," Hawley told "Hannity."

Hawley said the latest plan would saddle the incoming administration with a "terrible spending bill" and it would need to be revisited again in March.

"Under this bill, they'd shut the government down again, have to do this all over again, have to raise the debt ceiling again later, the same year," he said.

"This bill right here would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit, and the worst part is, it is all for Dem priorities."

Fox News' Danielle Wallace and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.