Former President Donald Trump is being floated as a candidate for speaker of the House after Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California was forced out of the position on Tuesday.
McCarthy was ousted following an effort by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to take him down. Seven other Republicans and 210 Democrats joined Gaetz in the historic vote to boot him.
Gaetz argued that unseating McCarthy was key to reining in the country’s spending and that Americans were being “screwed” by him.
Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina will act as interim speaker until a permanent candidate is chosen to replace McCarthy.
Given that there is no language in the U.S. Constitution that requires the speaker to be a sitting member of the House, Trump’s name was immediately floated by numerous Republicans.
Republican Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas announced that he would officially nominate the former president for the position.
“This week, when the U.S. House of Representatives reconvenes, my first order of business will be to nominate Donald J. Trump for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives,” Nehls said in a statement, according to The Hill.
“President Trump, the greatest President of my lifetime, has a proven record of putting America First and will make the House great again.”
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said Trump is the only candidate she is currently supporting for the speakership.
“He will end the war in Ukraine. He will secure the border. He will end the politically weaponized government. He will make America energy independent again. He will pass my bill to stop transgender surgeries on kids and keep men out of women’s sports. He will support our military and police,” she posted on X.
“He has a proven 4 year record as President of the United States of America. He received a record number of Republican votes of any Republican Presidential candidate! We can make him Speaker and then elect him President! He will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Fox News host Sean Hannity reported on Tuesday night that Trump is “open” to the idea of taking the helm in the House “in the short term, if necessary.”
Hannity asked Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio about the possibility.
Jordan said he would support Trump for speaker but that he would rather see him re-elected as president next fall.
Gaetz nominated Trump and a number of his House colleagues for speaker during the marathon session that saw the eventual election of McCarthy in January.
McCarthy has ruled out another bid for the speakership.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.