Former President Donald Trump suggested to reporters on Wednesday he would be open to becoming speaker of the House after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted on Tuesday.
Trump, the frontrunner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary race, was asked about replacing McCarthy by reporters outside the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, where he stands trial for a civil fraud case.
“A lot of people have been calling me about becoming speaker,” Trump said. “All I can say is we’ll do whatever’s best for the country and for the Republican Party.”
The House voted 216-210 on Tuesday to remove McCarthy as speaker, a role he held since January. Eight Republicans joined with Democrats to vote against McCarthy, citing frustrations with his leadership: Gaetz, Andy Biggs (AZ), Ken Buck (CO), Eli Crane (AZ), Bob Good (VA), Matt Rosendale (MT), Tim Burchett (TN), and Nancy Mace (SC).
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) became temporary speaker as lawmakers hash out who will run for the gavel. A simple majority will be needed to secure victory.
“If I can help them during the process, I would do it,” Trump continued. “But we have some great people in the Republican Party who would do a great job as speaker.”
“My sole focus is being president and, quite honestly, with actually making America great again,” Trump added. “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.”
House Republicans have been mentioning Trump’s name for house speaker ever since the party took control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections.
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Trump reportedly told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday after McCarthy’s removal that some GOP House lawmakers had “been in contact with and have started an effort to draft” him to run for speaker.
Although he has previously claimed he was not interested in the position, Trump told Hannity that he “might be open to helping the Republican Party, at least in the short term, if necessary,” while still running for president.
GOP lawmakers, including Reps. Troy Nehls of Texas, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Greg Steube of Florida said they would support a Trump speakership.
“President Trump, the greatest president of my lifetime, has a proven record of putting America first and will make the House great again,” Nehls said.
Steube wrote in an X-post, “@realDonaldTrump for Speaker.”
While Greene noted on social media that Trump is the “only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting.”
“We can make him Speaker and then elect him President,” Greene said.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who entered the race for house speaker on Wednesday, told Hannity that he thought Trump would make a “great” option for the position.
“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,” Jordan said. “That’s where we need him, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue [the White House], but if he wants to be speaker, that’s fine too.”
The U.S. House of Representatives does not require the speaker to be a member of the lower chamber, although elected officials have always voted for one. However, according to House GOP ethics rules, “A member of the Republican leadership shall step aside if indicted for a felony for which a sentence of two or more years imprisonment may be imposed.”
Trump currently faces 91 criminal charges related to alleged hush money, classified documents, election interference, and racketeering. The former president has broadly denied any wrongdoing and has claimed he is being targeted in a “witch hunt” propagated by the Biden administration and Democrat prosecutors.