Donald Trump saves Kevin McCarthys Speaker bid after last-ditch phone call | US | news

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Donald Trump made a final phone call to Republicans who are refusing to support Kevin McCarthy’s bid to become speaker. In a photo from the House, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is seen holding the phone to fellow Republican Matt Rosendale with the former President on the other end of the line.

A photo taken by members on the floor of the House showed Ms Greene holding her cellphone, with “DT” on the other end, and trying to hand the phone to Mr Rosendale, who voted for a different candidate in the most recent ballot.

Mr Rosendale appeared to turn his back on her as she tried to hand him the phone.

“Don’t treat me like that”, he said to the congressman.

Mr Trump also called Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, according to two people briefed on the call who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

He voted “present” and sank Kevin McCarthy’s 14th bid to be elected House speaker.

In the final ballot, four Republican holdouts – Bob Good, Eli Crane, Matt Rosendale and Biggs – all moved their votes to “present”, giving Mr McCarthy the majority of votes he needed for victory.

Mr Gaetz and Lauren Boebert joined the switch to “current” votes after days of voting for a candidate other than Mr McCarthy.

The final vote count was 216 for McCarthy, 212 for Democrat Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and six ‘present’ votes.

After winning votes to become Speaker on the fourth day of questioning, McCarthy joked “that was easy, huh?”

“I hope one thing is clear,” the newly elected House speaker said when he finally took the gavel after 1am. “I’m not giving up.”

Acknowledging Trump for making the late calls “helping get those last votes”, McCarthy said, “he’s been with me from the beginning.”

Then he said: “Now, the hard work begins. We will pass bills to fix the nation’s challenges from the wide-open southern border, to the final American energy policies to stimulate the indoctrination in our schools.

“We’re going to use the power of the purse and the power of the subpoena to get the job done.”

The new Speaker added: “We will also discuss America’s long-term challenges: the debt and the Chinese Communist Party.

“Congress must speak with one voice on both of these issues.”

During the debate for Speaker, Gaetz suggested that the former President should take the position.

Trump appeared to poke fun at the idea in a Truth Social post, posting a photo on Truth Social of himself sitting in the House speaker’s chair with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The joke came the same day the former president was sued by the longtime partner of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died a day after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

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