Kevin McCarthy thanks Donald Trump for crucial support in speaker race

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reached out to former President Donald Trump to thank him for his support, which was a pivotal factor in his quest for the gavel.

While speaking to reporters, McCarthy said, "I do want to especially thank President Trump. I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence. He was with me from the beginning."

McCarthy went on to explain how Trump had worked tirelessly to ensure he won his bid for the speakership.

McCarthy said, "Somebody wrote the doubt of whether he was there, and he was all in. He would call me, and he would call others. And he really was. I was just talking to him tonight, helping get those final votes. What he’s really saying, really for the party and the country: that we have to come together. We have to focus on the economy. We got to focus to make our border secure. We got to do so much work to do [sic] and he was a great influence to make that all happen. So, thank you, President Trump."

McCarthy's victory was a much-needed win for Donald Trump who saw his influence among Republicans collapse following the 2022 midterm elections.

Now with McCarthy in place as speaker of the House of Representatives, Trump has reestablished some of his control on the Republican Party.