Donald Trump takes credit for Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker of the House

Hours after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was finally crowned Speaker of the House after four days of voting chaos and a near-coup in Congress, former President Donald Trump was quick to claim credit for the success.

McCarthy had paid tribute to Trump for his support during the voting process while speaking to reporters.

He said: ‘He was with me from the beginning, someone wrote the question of whether he was there, and he was all in. He would call me and call others. And he was really, he was talking to him tonight, helping to get those final votes.

Trump responded by He posted a video of McCarthy thanking the former president to his Truth Social platform, writing: ‘Thank you Kevin. It was my great honor!

He added: “The ‘Speaker’ selection process, crazy as it sounds, has made it so much bigger and more important than if it was done in the more conventional way.” He also said: ‘Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and our GREAT Republican Party!’

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “The ‘Speaker’ selection process, crazy as it sounds, has made it so much bigger and more important than if it were done in the more conventional way.”

The tally was 216-212 with Democrats voting for leader Hakeem Jeffries, and six Republicans who opposed McCarthy simply voting present.

McCarthy ran afoul of hardliners when he publicly acknowledged that Trump was responsible for the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, days after the violence. He later retracted those comments and repeatedly expressed his loyalty to the former president.

The California congressman had long supported Trump, ever since the former host of The Apprentice first announced his run for president.

During the chaos Friday night, Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama pounced on Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and had to be held back by Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina after McCarthy was one vote short of victory. .

Later, speaking of Gaetz, a staunch Trump supporter, McCarthy said CNN: “At the end of the night, Matt convinced everyone from the point where no one voted against it the other way, so it actually helped bring people together.”

Gaetz, who voted present during the final vote that sent McCarthy to the other side of the line, previously said: ‘We don’t trust Mr McCarthy’s power, because we know who he will use it for. And he worries us that it’s not for the American people.’

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia goes all out: Donald Trump’s initials ‘DT’ seen on her phone

In the CNN interview, McCarthy also said he tried to put a positive spin on the voting chaos this week, saying that by removing the disruption early, the GOP has “learned to work together” after having “built trust.” ‘

During the vote on Friday, Trump acolyte Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene could be seen speaking on the phone with someone with the initials ‘DT’.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a McCarthy ally and Trump acolyte, reportedly approached Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana and told him that it was Trump on the phone and that Rosendale needed to speak with him. “Don’t ever do me like that,” Rosendale reportedly told him.

Trump also reportedly spoke with Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Rep. Gaetz of Florida.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy reportedly offered the rogue 20 Republicans a list of concessions he would make in exchange for their votes in the presidential race.

McCarthy said the problems he will face include the national debt and the ‘Chinese Communist Party’.

McCarthy agreed to major concessions to get a role that is second in line to the Oval Office behind Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, including a rule that means any of the House’s 435 members could force a vote for her impeachment in any moment.

The weaker-than-expected performance by Republicans in the November election left them with a slim 222-212 majority and gives outsized power to a small group of right-wing hardliners.

They criticized McCarthy, who has served as minority leader since 2019, accusing him of being soft and too open to compromising with President Joe Biden and his Democrats, who also control the US Senate.

In the final vote, even Gaetz rose to his feet to applaud with most of the rest of the caucus when McCarthy cast his vote for himself. It was reported that Gaetz would vote “yes” for McCarthy in this final round, but he did not after it became clear that McCarthy would win even if he continued to vote present.

Moments earlier, utter chaos erupted on the floor of the House of Representatives when the 14th president’s ticket left McCarthy one vote away.

The California Republican immediately reached out to Gaetz and Boebert, presumably intending to persuade them to change their “current” votes to “yes.”

Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama then lunged at Gaetz and had to be held back by Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina before a fistfight broke out on the House floor.

‘Stay civilized!’ someone yelled.

Republicans moved quickly to adjourn, but then McCarthy was quick to swing his vote to stay in session as his colleagues chanted “One More Time!”