Rep. Gaetz Fundraises Off Promise To Nominate Trump As Speaker Of House

Topline

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of Donald Trump’s fiercest allies in Congress, is soliciting donations off the promise to nominate the defeated former president as speaker of the House, amid speculation that Trump may be interested in the position.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks during a rally for former President Donald Trump at the Sarasota … [+] Fairgrounds, Saturday, July 3, 2021, in Sarasota, Florida.

Jason Behnken/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Key Facts

Gaetz, who has faced a deluge of bad press over reports he is under federal investigation for sex crimes, sent out a fundraising email on Thursday asking for donations so he can nominate Trump as speaker after the 2022 midterm elections.

The congressman first promised to nominate the former president as speaker during a speech at a Trump rally in Sarasota, Florida, on Saturday.

Trump last month told right-wing radio talk show host Wayne Allyn Root he would be interested in becoming speaker, but his aides have since shot down the idea.

The former president “has zero desire to be speaker,” then Trump spokesperson Jason Miller told Punchbowl News in June.

Crucial Quote

“So just think about how great it will feel when, after we take back the House and send Pelosi back to the filth of San Francisco, we make our next Speaker of the House Donald J. Trump!” Gaetz exulted in the fundraising email.

Key Background

One does not need to be a member of Congress to be elected speaker of the House and it takes only one vote for someone to be nominated. However, every speaker in U.S. history has been an elected member of Congress and few, outside Gaetz, have expressed interest in Trump serving in the position. If Republicans take back the House in 2022, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is seen as the overwhelming favorite to succeed Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Asked about the possibility of Trump becoming speaker during an interview with Fox News last month, McCarthy responded: “You know, I have talked to President Trump many times. He tells me he wants to be speaker, and I think he should be president.” Later, McCarthy’s aides said the leader “misspoke,” and that he meant to say Trump wanted him to be speaker. Trump has yet to announce whether he’s running for president in 2024, though he has hinted at the possibility several times.

Chief Critic

“Well, I’ve heard the talk, and it’s getting more and more,” Trump told Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody last month when asked about becoming speaker. “But it’s not something that I would’ve considered, but it is certainly—there’s a lot of talk about it. I have a good relationship with Kevin [McCarthy] and hopefully we will do everything traditionally. But the election was a horrible, horrible thing for our country.”

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