The House speaker's job looks safer than ever after the president-elect gave his full endorsement. Yet hardliners may still make trouble for them both.

CNN’s Jake Tapper took his interview with Mike Johnson to a personal level as he quizzed the Republican House Speaker on how his support for President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominations squared with his Christian family values.

Johnson said on CNN Sunday he still opposes releasing an ethics report on Gaetz. But GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin said he wants to see the findings.

The House speaker has taken a remarkably public role in trying to block the ethics report into Matt Gaetz, Trump’s nominee for attorney general.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said "there may be a function" to facilitate the use of recess appointments to speed up the confirmation of President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees. Why it matters: The process of adjourning the Senate to allow Trump to install his picks without congressional approval would mean the chamber would shirk its advice-and-consent role for cabinet confirmations.

Lawmakers are back in town this week for the start of what’s called the “lame duck,” the eight-week sprint to finish up this session before the new one begins in January.