Trump Considers First Capitol Visit Since Jan. 6 Riots, Is He Considering Giving Speakership A Go?

Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, is reportedly mulling over a visit to the Capitol next week. An insider revealed that Trump may propose his candidature for the role of House Speaker during this visit, reported Politico.

What Happened: As per the source, Trump, who is currently leading the field for the 2024 presidential primary, might address the House GOP before the internal speaker election scheduled for Wednesday. However, the final decision is still up in the air.

The chances of Trump actually running for the speaker’s position remain uncertain. Achieving this feat would require almost unanimous support from the House GOP, a significant obstacle for the divisive former president. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), a close ally of Trump, is also in the race for the speaker’s role.

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Historically, the House has never selected a speaker who was not a member of Congress, although it’s not constitutionally required. Trump could also face challenges due to GOP conference rules, which require a member of GOP leadership to step down if facing a felony indictment that could result in two or more years in prison.

Despite these hurdles, Trump has expressed interest in the speaker position following Kevin McCarthy's downfall, with several members, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga), backing the idea. Trump recently stated, "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."

Why It Matters: This development comes in the wake of the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the Speaker of the House position, a first in American history. Trump’s interest in the vacant position was sparked following a suggestive post on Truth Social, where he shared a photo of himself holding the gavel of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The post ignited conversations about his possible future as the Speaker of the House. Some far-right Republicans have even proposed Trump as a potential replacement. However, Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed his refusal to support the idea of Trump taking up the open House Speaker seat.

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