WASHINGTON — House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy had a “positive” call with Donald Trump and appeared to be suffering little political blowback Friday from the release of audio in which he suggested the president should resign shortly after the Jan.
McCarthy worked swiftly to shore up support among Republicans, calling and texting many lawmakers about his conversation with Trump as he rushed to contain the fallout.
In the audio, McCarthy can be heard telling his caucus that he had asked the former president if he felt responsible for the deadly insurrection and that Trump acknowledged some responsibility.
In his first public statement since the audio was released, Trump told the Journal late Friday: “I’ve had actually a very good relationship” with McCarthy.
I didn’t like the call,” Trump said.
The release of the audio could threaten the Republican House leader’s hold on power.
“I’m not mad at you,” Trump told McCarthy in a call Thursday afternoon, according to a second person familiar with the conversation.
“That would be my recommendation,” McCarthy is heard saying in response to a question from Rep.
McCarthy indicated during an interview with The Associated Press this week in California how important Trump remains to his party and its prospects for winning control of the House this fall.
The audio depicts a very different McCarthy from the one who has been leading House Republicans over the last year and a half and who has remained allied with Trump even after delivering a speech on the House floor shortly after Jan.
Since then, the California Republican has distanced himself from any criticism of Trump and has avoided directly linking him to what happened.
Jim Jordan of Ohio, even as he works to shore up the votes that would be needed to become speaker.
Still, McCarthy has also been a person of interest for the House committee investigating the storming of the Capitol on Jan 6.