A Texas Republican has made a surprising announcement, revealing his intention to nominate former President Donald Trump as the next Speaker of the US House of Representatives. This announcement came on the heels of an unprecedented move within the Republican Party, as they removed their own leader, Kevin McCarthy, from his position.
Troy Nehls declared, “This week, when the US House of Representatives reconvenes, my first order of business will be to nominate Donald J. Trump for speaker of the US House of Representatives. President Trump, the greatest president of my lifetime, has a proven record of putting America first and will make the House great again.”
It’s worth noting that the role of Speaker does not necessitate being a member of Congress, although historically, all Speakers have held congressional seats.
Trump’s name has been floated for this role in the past, notably during a marathon vote in January, where right-wing members of the party tested McCarthy’s leadership before eventually allowing him to assume the Speaker’s position.
Interestingly, Nehls did not join the ranks of right-wing members who voted to oust McCarthy on Tuesday. Another congressman, Greg Steube of Florida, also expressed support for Trump as Speaker.
Trump remains a prominent figure in the Republican Party, emerging as the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary. Despite facing numerous legal challenges, including 91 criminal charges related to election subversion, retention of classified information, and hush-money payments, as well as civil cases, he continues to dominate the political landscape.
Speculation is rife about the possibility of Trump withdrawing from the presidential race. In a recently published book, author Michael Lewis revealed that the disgraced cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried considered offering Trump $5 billion to step aside.
On Fox News, host Sean Hannity, who has maintained a close relationship with Trump, mentioned that “some House Republicans” had initiated efforts to draft Trump as Speaker. Trump himself has stated that he does not aspire to this role, but Hannity suggested that he might consider it to assist the Republican Party, while still pursuing the presidency.
“Sources are telling me that some Republicans have been in contact with and have started an effort to draft former Trump to be the next speaker and I have been told that Trump might be open to helping the Republican party at least in the short term if necessary,” Hannity said.
Jim Jordan of Ohio, another potential candidate for the Speaker position, expressed his preference for Trump to run for president again but acknowledged that Trump as Speaker could be beneficial if he chose that path.
“He’d be great, but actually I want Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States. But if he wants to be speaker, great. That’s where we need him, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue [the White House], but if he wants to be speaker, that’s fine too,” Jordan said.
However, skeptics have raised various challenges to this scenario. House ethics rules could pose obstacles to Trump taking the Speaker role, and Republican Party rules dictate that a member of the leadership must step aside if indicted for a felony carrying a potential prison sentence of two or more years.
McCarthy and the House
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News revealed a supposed transcript of a closed-door meeting among McCarthy and House Republicans.
“We got a lot of big challenges,” McCarthy began, setting the tone for the meeting. In a surprising turn, he emphasized the importance of unity, saying, “I don’t want this to be an angry meeting. I firmly trust in God.”
McCarthy, who has held the position of Speaker of the House since 2021, addressed the critical issue of securing 218 votes, the magic number required to maintain the role of Speaker and to influence the rules and amendments within the House.
He made a startling revelation about his previous actions, admitting, “You held my mouth until you said something that wasn’t true. And I did it for the good of the conference.”
Moreover, McCarthy disclosed that he had been approached by Democrats for a potential deal, but he firmly stated, “I wasn’t going to make a deal.”
The Speaker expressed his concern about party members cooperating with Democrats, remarking, “When eight people work with the Democrats, it’s not for the best of the conference.”
McCarthy drew inspiration from a famous quote by Lou Gehrig, asserting, “He said he is the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I’m optimistic because I don’t know what else to be.”
However, he also made it clear that he would not compromise his principles by aligning with Democrats. He vowed to continue working to get Republicans elected but hinted at becoming a “free agent” in some cases, indicating his willingness to put party before personal interests.
As the meeting drew to a close, McCarthy called for unity within the party and urged members to support the chosen Speaker candidate in the next vote. He declared, “If I have to be the sacrifice, so be it.”
In his closing remarks, McCarthy emphasized the vital role of the Republican party, stating, “We’re the only conservative face for America. I appreciate all of you.”
House Republicans have scheduled a candidate forum for the upcoming Tuesday, followed by the speaker election taking place on the following Wednesday.
It is noteworthy that the current shakeup in House leadership was triggered by fellow Republican lawmaker Matt Gaetz who made a manifestation to unseat McCarthy earlier this week. Gaetz’s action was seen as a form of retaliation against McCarthy for relying on Democratic votes to prevent a government shutdown, a move that did not sit well with a faction of hard-line conservatives within the Republican Party, including Gaetz.
Information for this story was found via The Guardian and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
