If Donald Trump’s attempt to make his way back into the Oval Office fails, the GOP has reportedly considered another option to give him a position of authority in the government – as Speaker of the House.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said Sunday on “Face the Nation” that the Republican caucus has “repeatedly” mentioned the possibility of the former POTUS in that role, an idea Matt Gaetz floated earlier this year.
When told that at least 155 Republicans who won their races for the House were election deniers, Raskin told CBS host Margaret Brennan, “That’s a statement about the political contamination of the GOP by Donald Trump. And again, Kevin McCarthy and other leaders within the Republican Party are now required to make a decision about whether they’re going to try to rid themselves of Donald Trump and his toxic influence on the party.”
Watch the interview at the top.
Rep. McCarthy, who is currently the House minority leader, is campaigning hard to become the Speaker, should the Republicans gain control of the House, an outcome which we might not learn for weeks. And, Brennan noted, McCarthy would need a thumbs-up from all those election deniers to before he is put in that position.
Raskin saw that as a potential problem because McCarthy might have competition for the job – in Donald Trump.
“One potential candidate whose name has been floated is Donald Trump himself, because the Speaker of the House does not have to be a member of the House,” Raskin explained. “And they are talking about putting Trump right there.”
Although Brennan appeared doubtful of that, not believing it to be “a real option,” Raskin said it was not only possible but also claimed that it was being heavily considered.
“They talk about it repeatedly,” Raskin said. “And if Trump decided he wanted to do it, it would pose a profound problem for their party because they refuse to do the right thing.”
Trump nixed the idea of becoming Speaker back in March when Gaetz mentioned the possibility, should Republicans win control of the House in the midterm elections.
“No I think that, it’s not something that I want to, a lot of people bring it up, it’s brought up all the time,” Trump told John Solomon and Amanda Head in an interview. “No, it’s not something I want to do, I want to look at what’s happening, and then we’re going to be doing something else. No, it’s not something that I would be interested in.”
Trump will be holding a “special announcement” at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 15, with most assuming he is throwing his hat into the 2024 presidential race.
The Constitution, by the way, does not require the Speaker to be a member of the House of Representatives, although every Speaker in the past has been. Also worth noting, the Speaker of the House is second in the presidential line of succession, following vice president. Meaning, if the president and vice president are unable to perform their duties (for whatever reason), the Speaker of the House becomes President of the United States.
