Former President Donald Trump declined to commit to endorsing Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for House speaker, depriving him of vital support.
After failing to get the 218 votes needed to become speaker of the House three times in a row due to a rebellion by conservative Republicans, McCarthy desperately needs to win over conservatives if he wants to turn the tide. Those last hopes were possibly dashed on Tuesday when the most influential figure among the conservative Republican rebels declined to support McCarthy.
“Former President Trump declined to say if he’s sticking by his endorsement of Kevin McCarthy for speaker tonight, telling me in a brief phone interview he’s had calls all day asking for support, and ‘We’ll see what happens. We’ll see how it all works out,'” NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake tweeted.
He added that Trump abruptly ended the conversation after saying he would see what happens, making his position known.
Trump had previously thrown his support behind McCarthy in November when he endorsed him for speaker.
After the chaos that unfolded Tuesday, Trump seems to have changed his mind, possibly depriving McCarthy of his last hope to get the votes needed to become speaker.
“Trump Breaks His Silence” says “I don’t know”
WTF people! Take the worm off the hook. We’re not fish, we are people, and as the People of the USA we deserve better than this.
We need someone who doesn’t want the job.
Over 200 republicans in the house and all they can ONLY come up with are a hand full of possible candidates for the speakership. They need to convene in a private location with just republicans and put everyone’s name on the ballet. Take votes until they can come out unified on a choice and then reconvene the vote on the house floor. (Take a page from the Vidican’s process)
PRES. Trump was wise to allow the process to play out rather than to put his Thumb on the scale again. I know he may be playing both sides, but that judgment is for a later date. Let’s have this fight, once and for all, to show America conservatives are allowed to dissent and still be allowed to lead. Get on with it GOP do what you have to do to select a leader. I am proud to show America real democracy in living color.
I do not trust McCarthy at all. I do trust Jim Jordan. He was my first choice.