WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump put his grip on House Republicans to the test Wednesday, calling on every member to back Kevin McCarthy for speaker.
Trump posted on Truth Social just hours ahead of the House's fourth attempt to elect a speaker. McCarthy came up short in his first three attempts to win the post Tuesday, seeing his support erode by one on the final ballot. On that vote, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., switched his support to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who — despite nominating McCarthy for speaker — received six votes on the first ballot, 19 on the second and 20 on the third.
"[I]t's now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY," Trump wrote. "REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB - JUST WATCH!"
It's unclear, however, whether the former president's all-caps advice to House Republicans will move any votes in McCarthy's favor. McCarthy left the floor Tuesday afternoon 16 votes shy of the majority needed to win the gavel, becoming the first majority party leader in a century not to win the speakership on the first ballot.
The historic defeat stalled members' swearing-in, GOP committee assignments and a vote on the rules package that will ultimately govern the 118th Congress. Instead, House Republicans put their divisions on display throughout the afternoon, offering a stark contrast to their unified Democratic colleagues across the aisle and even the functioning Senate chamber on the other side of the Capitol.
And even as McCarthy was working the phones from the speaker's office after the chamber adjourned Tuesday, some of his antagonists took issue. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., wrote a letter to the architect of the Capitol, asking, "How long will he remain there before he is considered a squatter?"
"Please write back promptly," Gaetz added, "as it seems Mr. McCarthy can no longer be considered Speaker-Designate following today's balloting."
Trump, who launched an as-yet-underwhelming third run for the presidency in November, had declined to endorse McCarthy's bid for speaker as recently as Tuesday night in a brief phone call with NBC News, telling a reporter: "We'll see what happens. We'll see how it all works out."
