Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has formally endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 race, adding that he is open to serving in his White House Cabinet.
During an interview preview for CBS Sunday Morning, McCarthy told CBS host Robert Costa that Trump could “count on his support.”
The California representative did not endorse Trump when he served as speaker.
He was impeached after 216 of his former colleagues – including eight Republicans – voted in favor of a motion to evict, making him the first speaker ever removed from office.
Last week he announced his plans to leave Congress at the end of this month.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy officially endorsed former President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election
In an interview for CBS Sunday Morning, McCarthy added that he believed Trump would win the nomination and defeat President Joe Biden in the 2024 race.
McCarthy said he was open to a position in Trump's Cabinet if he was “the best person for the job.”
When asked if Trump would be the Republican nominee in the upcoming presidential election, McCarthy replied: “Yes. And if Biden remains the Democratic candidate, I think Donald Trump will win.
“I believe that the Republicans will win more seats in the House of Representatives and that the Republicans will win the Senate.”
McCarthy said the former president could count on his support.
“Is that an approval?” Costa asked.
“I will support the president. I will support President Trump,” McCarthy responded.
On the possibility of serving in a Trump Cabinet, the former chairman said he would do so “in the right position” and if he were “the best person for the job.”
“Look, I've worked with President Trump on a lot of policies. We worked together to win the majority,” he said, characterizing their relationship as “where we are very honest with each other.”
McCarthy first took office in the House of Representatives in 2007 and quickly rose through the ranks. He won the presidency on the 15th ballot in January after facing continued opposition from some hardline Republicans.
The California representative was removed from his role as speaker in a historic turn of events that saw eight Republicans vote in favor of the motion to leave the country.
The unprecedented impeachment marked the first time the House had voted out a speaker. McCarthy announced he will leave Congress altogether at the end of this month
However, his opponents' frustration grew during debt ceiling negotiations with President Joe Biden.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus blasted McCarthy for agreeing to a plan that they said did not go far enough to curb spending. Some labeled the compromise a “betrayal.”
The final straw was McCarthy's handling of the appropriations process when a government shutdown loomed.
With government funding set to expire at the end of September and zero-spending bills passed in the House of Representatives, McCarthy decided to introduce an emergency measure to extend government funding until mid-November.
Ultra-conservative members of the Republican caucus insisted they were not afraid of a shutdown if necessary. The measure was only passed in the House of Representatives thanks to Democratic support.
Days later, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced a motion that would remove McCarthy from his position as speaker. The motion to table or override the bill failed, leading to a vote on the motion to evict.
It passed with a final score of 216-210. After serving 269 days, McCarthy's term ended on October 3.
The California Republican said it only became clear to him just before the historic vote that he would be impeached.
“I called my leadership team and said, 'We're not going to win this one,'” he told Dailymail.com in an exclusive interview last month. “And I told them, 'I'm not going to run anymore.'”
McCarthy faced opposition from hardline Republicans during his tenure as chairman, but the final straw came when he introduced a motion in September to prevent a government shutdown.
Days later, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz made a motion to evict, which passed by a final vote of 216-210
After being relieved of his duties as speaker, McCarthy denounced the eight House Republicans who voted against him, accusing them of siding with Democrats and “disrupting the government.”
The eight Republicans who voted to impeach McCarthy were Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eli Crane of Arizona, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Bob Good of Virginia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
It was the first time in history the House had voted out a speaker — and it came as a victory for Gaetz, who made the motion against McCarthy after months of threats and name-calling.
On December 6, following McCarthy's announcement that he was leaving Congress altogether, Gaetz joked in a tweet: “McLeavin'.”
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives will shrink to two after the expulsion of New York Rep. George Santos. The special election for that seat is Feb. 13.
McCarthy told Dailymail.com he didn't need it a “title” to continue representing the American public and “moving the country forward.”
“One thing about me is I never give up,” McCarthy said.
“Everywhere I go, people come up to me and say, 'What happened to you isn't right,'” he said. “You know, you can't look back. You have to look ahead.'
He added: “I am very proud of what we have been able to achieve in such a short time.”
In an exclusive interview last month, McCarthy told Dailymail.com he didn't need a “title” to continue representing the American public
McCarthy's successor, Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, was elected unanimously after thirteen failed candidates and four floor votes
Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson was unanimously chosen as McCarthy's successor after 22 days, thirteen failed candidates, four nominees and four floor votes.
Johnson is the father of four children and entered Congress in 2017 and is serving his fourth term.
The Republican from Louisiana is an avid supporter of Trump. He has earned the former president's support in his re-election bid since 2016 and has attended several rallies.
He opposed the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election and took the lead in filing a summary judgment in a lawsuit seeking to overturn Biden's victory. The congressman was also a member of Trump's impeachment defense team.
In his interview with Dailymail.com, McCarthy advised Johnson on the best way to run the GOP conference, saying, “Get a psychiatrist for a lot of these members.”