Former President Donald Trump is considering going to Capitol Hill in the coming days to speak to Republicans as they weigh a new speaker, a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. No final decisions have been made, and Trump has several campaign engagements over the next week.
Trump has been approached in recent days by GOP lawmakers who have floated the idea of him serving as speaker, even on a temporary basis, one source familiar with the conversations said, and has been "intrigued" by the idea.
However, Trump has told those with him this week that while he is "flattered" and "honored" that people have raised his name, he is not seriously entertaining the idea, according to two people who have spoken with him about Kevin McCarthy's ouster.
Trump is "entirely focused" on running for president, the two sources said, characterizing his public posturing on the narrative that he could be elected speaker as Trump relishing the attention.
"A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is we'll do whatever is best for the country and the Republican Party," Trump told reporters outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan on Wednesday during a break from his civil fraud trial.
The internal discussions on Trump's potential trip to the Capitol, first reported by the The Messenger, come as the House is essentially paralyzed while it lacks a speaker.
Republicans are slated to hear from speaker candidates at a forum next Tuesday, setting up the next possible House-wide speaker vote next Wednesday, October 11. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio have announced their candidacies, and others could still enter the race, but it remains to be seen whether the conference can coalesce around a viable successor to McCarthy.
Republican Reps. Troy Nehls of Texas and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia have publicly said they would support Trump for the role.
But Rep. Mike Lawler, a GOP freshman from a swing district in New York, said that he doesn't see a role for Trump in the speaker's race.
Asked by CNN's Jim Sciutto whether he wanted the former president to come to the Capitol, Lawler said "I think the choice for speaker will be someone who is currently a member of Congress and I think these discussions should be among the members."
Trump on Thursday posted he would "do whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House selection process" after McCarthy was ousted from the position.
"I am running for President, have a 62 Point lead over Republicans, and am up on Crooked Joe Biden, despite the Democrat Party's massive Law-fare, Weaponization, and Election Interference efforts, by 4 to 11 Points, but will do whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House selection process, short term, until the final selection of a GREAT REPUBLICAN SPEAKER is made - A Speaker who will help a new, but highly experienced President, ME, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
