House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) reportedly talked with President Trump about his potential bid to replace Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) at the White House this week, where congressional GOP leaders met to discuss key agenda items.
Trump reportedly asked McCarthy, the current No. 2 House Republican, if he was intent on becoming the next Speaker and McCarthy told the president he wants the job, The Associated Press reported Saturday, citing sources familiar with the talk.
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While Trump did not verbalize his support outright, Trump was reportedly pleased with the idea of his longtime supporter and friend becoming the next Speaker.
McCarthy, who has not yet officially declared his intentions to run for the position, reportedly left the meeting confident of Trump’s support, though the executive branch is not involved in the selection.
Ryan on Friday publicly backed McCarthy to become his successor once he leaves office in January. To become the next Speaker, McCarthy must win the majority of votes in the chamber, where Republicans currently have a 23-seat majority.
“We all think that Kevin is the right person,” Ryan said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The endorsement could quash infighting over the position, though Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — a founding member of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus — has left open the possibility of seeking the Speakership.
While Jordan remains a long shot to win, insiders believe the caucus could use the disarray to leverage McCarthy for promises on legislation or to gain more leadership positions in the chamber.