Right Wingers Push for Alleged Felon to Become New House Speaker

Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his post as House Speaker on Tuesday, with eight members of his own party joining Democrats to boot him from the most powerful position in the lower chamber. Republicans will now, presumably, elect a replacement. It’s unclear who is in pole position to win the job, but there’s no rule requiring nominees to be members of Congress, a wrinkle that led some to float Donald Trump for the gig ahead of McCarthy’s election in January. The former president has since been criminally indicted four times, but that hasn’t stopped the calls from resuming now that the position is once again vacant.

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) tweeted shortly after McCarthy announced he wouldn’t be running again that he plans to nominate Trump. “I nominate Donald J. Trump for the Speaker of the House,” he wrote of the man who has in recent months been slapped with dozens of state and federal criminal charges.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) signed onto the idea a few minutes later. “.@realDonaldTrump for Speaker,” he wrote, attaching an American flag emoji.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) agreed. “The only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting is President Donald J. Trump,” she wrote on X before listing all of the things she imagines Trump could do with the role, including ending the war in Ukraine, securing the border, and ending “politically weaponized government.”

Sean Hannity reported on Fox News that the effort is serious, and that Trump may be amenable. “Sources are telling me at this hour that some House Republicans have been in contact with and have started an effort to draft former President Donald Trump to be the next Speaker,” he said. “I have been told that President Trump might be open to helping the Republican Party, at least in the short term, if necessary, if it’s needed.”

The idea gained traction elsewhere across right-wing media, as well. Newsmax floated Trump as a potential nominee during a segment about the vacancy, as did former Newsmax correspondent and current conservative influencer Emerald Robinson. “Watching the GOP establishment vote against President Trump for Speaker would be very clarifying for GOP voters — they would finally understand that the GOP votes against them!” she wrote in response to Nehls’ post. “Hodgetwins are officially nominating TRUMP as speaker of the house because it would be funny as hell to see the left and RINOs lose their mind,” the right-wing Hodge Twins added on X. “Nominate Trump” was trending on the platform Tuesday night.

Alex Jones is also a fan of the idea. “Donald Trump should be nominated as a litmus test for all these Republicans,” he ranted. “With all the fake charges and all the fake trials, how awesome would it be to make Donald Trump Speaker of the House.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who orchestrated McCarthy’s ejection, has so far declined to say who he might support, although he long advocated for Trump to fill the role before Republicans took control of the House earlier this year. Trump has said he doesn’t have any interest.

The former president has yet to weigh in on McCarthy’s ouster, only wondering on Truth Social ahead of the vote that why “Republicans are always fighting among themselves” and not “fighting the Radical Left Democrats who are destroying our Country.”

The post came with Trump in New York for his civil fraud trial. He was indicted criminally in the state earlier this year in a different case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He’s also been indicted by the Justice Department on charges related to his handling of classified material after leaving the White House, and separately for the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He’s been indicted in Fulton County, Georgia, for the effort to remain in power, as well.

More from Rolling Stone

• Republicans Want to Change Speaker Rules So They Don't Embarrass Themselves Again

• Trump Keys on Jim Jordan's Wrestling History in Speaker Endorsement

• Indicted Ex-President Floats Idea to Serve as House Speaker for 'Short Period of Time'

Best of Rolling Stone

• The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign

• Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal

• The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence

Click here to read the full article.