Former President Donald Trump is reportedly considering traveling to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., next week to address a House forum ahead of a vote for the next Speaker, a week after a handful of Republicans joined with all Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
On Thursday, The Messenger reported that “Trump, whose name has been bandied about as a possibility, is considering making a trip to Capitol Hill on Tuesday when GOP members host a mini-convention to hear from interested candidates.”
One of Trump’s biggest congressional allies, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), hailed the news a day after she posted online that he is the only candidate she would support for Speaker.
“If Trump becomes Speaker of the House, the House chamber will be like a Trump rally everyday!!” she posted on the X platform on Wednesday, adding: “It would be the House of MAGA!!!”
Later in the evening, Trump told Fox News he would consider temporarily filling the role of House Speaker until Republicans could choose a permanent replacement.
“I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term because I am running for president.”
“They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision,” Trump added.
The Messenger added:
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the driving force behind the campaign to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker of the House, joined the Trump bandwagon. He posted a video from January, when he nominated Trump for speaker during a prolonged battle for the speakership.
“That time I nominated President Trump for Speaker…” Gaetz said in his post on X that included his nominating speech for Trump.
That time I nominated President Trump for Speaker… pic.twitter.com/lrW5SAIznP
— Former Congressman Matt Gaetz (@FmrRepMattGaetz) October 5, 2023
Gaetz has also teased this week that he’d like to see his mentor, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, become the next speaker. Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, made his campaign for speaker official on Wednesday, as did House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
Meanwhile, another GOP lawmaker said that Trump had already endorsed Jordan.
“Just had a great conversation with President Trump about the Speaker’s race,” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) posted on Twitter Thursday evening. “He is endorsing Jim Jordan, and I believe Congress should listen to the leader of our party. I fully support Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House.”
Separately on Thursday, Fox News reported that Trump said he is focused on doing “what’s best” for the Republican Party after some GOP lawmakers suggested publicly that they would support him; you don’t have to be a sitting member of Congress to become Speaker, per the Constitution.
“Trump added that he has fielded numerous calls about assuming the vacant speakership, but suggested he was more focused on winning the presidential election,” the report said.
“He also said he would assist House Republicans with choosing a replacement for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was ousted from the role in a dramatic vote Tuesday afternoon,” Fox News added.
Trump told reporters outside a New York City courtroom where he’s currently on trial in a civil fraud case filed by state Attorney General Letitia James: “A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is we will do whatever is best for the country and the Republican Party. We have some great, great people. A lot of people have asked me about it.”
“If I can help them during the process, I would do it. But we have some great people in the Republican Party who would do a great job as speaker,” Trump added. “My sole focus is being president and, quite honestly, with actually making America great again. Because we are living in a country in decline. This is a country that is failing badly. We’re not respected in the world, interest rates are through the roof, taxes are through the roof, inflation is horrible.”
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