Global Courant
“Can he win that election? Yes, he can win that election,” McCarthy said, referring to a matchup between Biden and Trump. “The question is: ‘Is he the strongest to win the election?’ I don’t know that answer.”
Trump world flipped out. Top aides to the former president and allies who know both men quickly exchanged messages asking, in short: What the fuck?
Some called McCarthy an “idiot.” Others looked to Trump campaign manager Brian Jack, who also advises the speaker and has been a crucial bridge between the two men, to play mediator as Trump hit the road in New Hampshire.
McCarthy immediately turned into cleanup mode. He called Trump to apologize, according to the New York Times. He offered Breitbart reporter Matt Boyle an exclusive interviewin which he walked back the comments, accusing the media of taking them out of context.
“Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016,” McCarthy told Boyle.
None of these moves could allay the anger in Trump’s inner circle, people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. McCarthy, they believe, has taken advantage of the former president when it benefits him and has shown no unwavering loyalty in return. They don’t understand how he could have been “mistaken” – as McCarthy, we are told, told Trump – about something so critical.
In fact, McCarthy’s damage control only made things worse. The speaker’s campaign allies pushed out fundraising emails And texts claiming, “Trump is Biden’s STRONGEST opponent!” – then ask for money.
Fundraising in Trump’s name without authorization is a huge no-no for the former president. His team requires explicit permission for any campaign to use his name and likeness. Trump’s team asked McCarthy’s last night to take down the fundraising pitch.
This isn’t the first time McCarthy has run afoul of Trump. After the January 6 riot, McCarthy came up with the idea of reprimanding Trump for his actions and later became caught on tape discussing the idea of asking Trump to resign. Still, the two continued their symbiotic bond: McCarthy soon assumed a key role in restoring Trump’s prominence in the GOP, and Trump remained in McCarthy’s corner as he battled for the gavel.
But Tuesday’s drama came at a sensitive time, with a big question already floating around the Trump world: Why didn’t McCarthy support Trump?
While it’s unclear whether Trump explicitly asked McCarthy for his support, his silence on the matter has baffled the former president and his closest allies.
McCarthy has told some Trump supporters he is waiting because an endorsement “could hurt Trump” by tying him to the party establishment, according to a GOP campaign adviser who requested not to be named. He has also suggested that as the top Republican in office, just two heartbeats away from the presidency, he may need to remain neutral.
But Trump’s allies aren’t buying that. The former president, the thinking goes, will never leave McCarthy on the sidelines in a dirty GOP primary and expects his full support, something many believe he will eventually get — and perhaps now sooner rather than later.
“At what point is it okay for Kevin McCarthy not to endorse Trump?” asked the adviser. “Donald Trump has been very good to Kevin McCarthy.”
The brouhaha also raised questions about how long Trump will support McCarthy.
Many of the ex-president’s strongest allies in Congress have been piling up their grievances against McCarthy, waiting for the right time to act. Several would like to force a vote to oust the speaker if Trump wanted to — and Trump knows that.
“If Donald Trump wanted to… he could have him as a speaker by the end of the week,” the adviser said.
