Despite House Democrats' efforts to undermine House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, former President Donald Trump is sticking strongly behind him, a source close to the former president tells Newsmax.
McCarthy has distanced himself from comments he made to colleagues on Jan. 6, 2021, saying that he would ask for then-President Donald Trump to resign.
Interviews with House GOP members and political associates, including two Trump insiders, indicate the Californian has weathered the storm and secured his leadership position as the party heads into midterms.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Friday his relationship with McCarthy was not damaged by an audiotape released earlier that day and its revelations about McCarthy's statements.
The former president noted that McCarthy never asked him to resign and that the congressman "quickly changed his mind when he found out the facts" when they met a week after Jan. 6.
And the facts show — even after the Democrats' highly partisan inquiry into Jan. 6 — that neither Trump nor any of his inner circle orchestrated or promoted the idea of a riot at the Capitol.
In fact, emails that the House committee leaked in an effort to embarrass Republicans, actually prove some of the president's closest associates, including his son Don Jr., Sean Hannity, and Mark Meadows, all were shocked by the events at the Capitol and sought to quell them.
Now several Republican House members agreed McCarthy was in no danger of being deposed as their leader and was on target to become speaker if Republicans capture the House in November.
One Trump insider expressed this view: "The president has always had a good relationship with Kevin, and sees him as an ally."
Another Trump insider noted that "when the facts became clear about Jan. 6, McCarthy became a strong supporter of the president and vigorously opposed [Rep.] Liz Cheney's efforts."
Generally, Trump likes the overall House leadership, with House GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.
As the furor over the tape started to die down over the weekend, McCarthy jetted home to Southern California to address the Republican State Convention.
Before a crowd of party activists considered more Trumpish and to the right of his congressional colleagues, McCarthy received a standing ovation.
via newsmax