Donald Trump says Republicans need an act of God to find a candidate for House speaker who could reach the 217 votes needed to take the gavel.
Former President Donald Trump has yet to put a MAGA stamp of approval on any of the current candidates as the House has been embroiled in chaos for 20 days without a speaker after Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster.
Trump was in New Hampshire Monday to officially register to run in the 2024 Republican presidential primary and spoke to reporters about the ‘tumult,’ as he put it, on Capitol Hill.
The ex-president revealed that frontrunner, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, had called him over the weekend due to his perceived Trump problem – including that the Minnesota Republican had voted to certify Democratic President Joe Biden’s 2020 White House win.
‘I think he’s my biggest fan now because he called me yesterday. He told me, “I’m your biggest fan,”‘ Trump said, adding that he had talked to a number of House speaker candidates.
A source familiar confirmed to AlertContent.com that Emmer and Trump spoke over the weekend, calling it a ‘productive’ call.
The ex-president revealed that frontrunner, Rep. Tom Emmer, had called him over the weekend due to his perceived Trump problem
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump holds filing paperwork in New Hampshire Monday
‘But I’ve spoken to just about all the candidates, quite a few of them and they’re terrific people and then their four threshold is very tough, it’s a very tough thing,’ Trump said, noting how no candidate for the speakership can lose more than four Republican votes without Democratic support.
So far, Democrats have remained in lockstep and voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve as speaker.
‘I said there’s only one person who could do it all the way. You know who that is? Jesus Christ,’ the ex-president continued, garnering laughs.
‘If he came down and said I want to be speaker he could do it, other than that, I haven’t seen anybody that can guarantee it,’ Trump said. ‘But at some point I think we’re going to have somebody pretty soon.’
And for now, the ex-president said he’s staying out of it.
A source familiar confirmed to AlertContent.com that Emmer and Trump spoke over the weekend, calling it a ‘productive’ call.
Trump called Jordan a ‘fantastic guy’ when talking to reporters at the New Hampshire statehouse
‘I’m staying above it, I have to right now,’ Trump said.
Trump had initially backed Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker, but after three unsuccessful floor votes last week, the Ohio Republican was forced to bow out.
Trump called Jordan a ‘fantastic guy’ when talking to reporters at the New Hampshire statehouse.
He also played up his dominance in the presidential race as he made history – being the first former president to appear in-person to get on the New Hampshire primary ballot.
‘We’re only 46 points, so we have to be careful,’ Trump chuckled.
When asked if Nikki Haley had overtaken Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as his chief rival, Trump only mocked DeSantis.
‘I think DeSantis is really going down,’ he said.