Aiming to play the ‘kingmaker’, former US President Donald Trump has endorsed Ohio representative Jim Jordan’s bid for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, days after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy from the post, CNN reported.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, shortly after midnight, Trump said, “Jordan will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Trump’s intervention into the race came after he expressed openness to temporarily serving in the role himself, and also considered a visit to Capitol Hill to speak with Republicans in the coming days as they weigh a new speaker, CNN reported citing sources.
However, Trump is not expected to go to Capitol Hill, CNN cited a source close to Trump as saying on Thursday night.
Earlier on Monday, Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House Speaker, in a never-before-seen historic vote that left the lower chamber of Congress in chaos
The mutiny, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), came days after McCarthy averted a government shutdown by putting a stopgap measure on the floor that garnered Democratic support — a move that infuriated hardline Republicans.