On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump acknowledged that he’s been receiving overtures regarding the possibility of becoming the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Still, ongoing legal challenges could compel him to focus more on his presidential campaign rather than a role on Capitol Hill.
While Trump, 77, has the backing of at least two House Republicans for the speaker position, an obscure House GOP rule might pose an obstacle.
Specifically, the Republican Conference Rules of the 118th Congress dictate: “A member of the Republican Leadership shall step aside if indicted for a felony for which a sentence of two or more years’ imprisonment may be imposed.”
Given the backdrop of Trump dealing with 91 charges spread across four legal cases – and facing up to 712 years and six months in jail if found guilty on all counts – this rule could become key.
Though there’s room for those rules to be adjusted to accommodate a “Speaker Trump,” with his freedom on the line and a potential rematch against President Biden on the horizon, the odds seem to be against him pursuing the Speaker’s gavel for now.
Addressing the speculation, Trump remarked, “A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is we’ll do whatever is best for the country and the Republican Party,” as he stood outside the Manhattan courtroom where his civil fraud trial is underway.
While not dismissing the possibility of the speaker role, Trump emphasized his primary ambition. “My total focus is on being president,” he affirmed, adding that there are other “great people” in the GOP qualified for the role.
If he took the helm as speaker, Trump would shoulder various responsibilities such as administering the oath of office to House members, overseeing floor debates, and signing bills passed in the House.
Offering insight into the demands of the role, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) noted, “You’ve got to be in the institution to understand how it works,” in his conversation with reporters.
Jim Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, while praising Trump’s potential fit for the role, revealed his wish to see Trump back in the presidency post-2024 election. He shared with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “I want him at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” and added, “But if he wants to be speaker, that’s fine too.”
However, former Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a known Trump critic and a potential competitor for the 2024 presidential primary, seemed skeptical. “Really, we want a convicted felon to be president of the US?” he questioned on CNBC. “And you have some jokers on the Hill yesterday saying let’s make him speaker?”
Expressing their strong support for Trump’s potential speakership were Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Troy Nehls (R-Texas). Echoing this sentiment, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) quipped that “Speaker Trump has a great ring to it.”
House members anticipate that the vote for a new speaker will occur next week. Notably, even those not currently in Congress, including Trump, are eligible for consideration.
Historically, Trump did receive a nod for the speakership earlier in January, garnering a vote on three separate ballots, notably being nominated on the eleventh by Gaetz.
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