Congress

Trump Begs House Republicans to Back Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership Bid

‘CLOSE THE DEAL’

The former president said the ongoing split risked turning a “great triumph” into a “giant and embarrassing defeat.”

2023-01-01T022953Z_575920054_RC2EHY9WNUS7_RTRMADP_3_USA-TRUMP_qrdi8t
Marco Bello/Reuters

With House Republicans divided on their choice of a new speaker, Donald Trump has issued a trademark upper-case screed calling for them to rally behind Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who failed to secure the gavel after three ballots on Tuesday. “Some really good conversations took place last night, and it’s now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA, THE ONLY SPEAKER IN U.S. HISTORY TO HAVE LOST THE ‘HOUSE’ TWICE!” the former president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning. “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!” Trump followed up the post by using his favorite racist slur against Mitch McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao: “If Republicans are going to fight, we ought to be fighting Mitch McConnell and his domineering, China loving BOSS, I mean wife, Coco Chow. The harm they have done to the Republican Party is incalculable. Today, he couldn’t be elected ‘Dog Catcher’ in Kentucky (Sadly, he only won because of my Endorsement, went up 21 points - SORRY!)” Trump added: “TAKE THE VICTORY AND RUN!!!”