In the midst of a fierce competition for the coveted position of speaker in the United States House of Representatives, former US President Donald Trump was literally laughed out of the room when he received just one vote. For context, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was unable to seize the chamber's gavel after multiple rounds of voting, leaving the speaker's chair vacant for three consecutive days.

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a McCarthy denier, cast the one and only vote in favor of the former president. In the eleventh round of voting, Gaetz had officially proposed Trump for the position of House speaker. Members of the House burst into laughter when he received one out of over 430 votes to become the next speaker. Even after McCarthy offered to limit his own powers, the impasse in voting propelled the House to a level of dysfunction not seen in 164 years, since the turbulent period immediately prior to the Civil War.

Donald Trump is a former President of the United States, serving from 2017 to 2021. Trump was a successful businessman and television personality before entering politics. He is the owner of the Trump Organization, a conglomerate that includes real estate, hotels, and golf courses.

Trump's presidency was marked by a number of significant events, including the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, the implementation of controversial immigration policies, and the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of the president.