Former President Trump does not want to be Speaker of the House, his spokesperson stressed this week.
“[Trump] has zero desire to be Speaker,” Jason Miller, the former president’s outgoing spokesman and longtime aide, told Punchbowl News.
Trump called the idea of serving as Speaker without pursing a run for Congress “so interesting” earlier this month.
“Yeah, you know it’s very interesting,” Trump said during an appearance on a conservative radio program.
The former president said that some of his supporters have suggested that he run for the U.S. Senate.
“But you know what, your idea might be better,” Trump said of running for Speaker. “It’s very interesting.”
While the Speaker has always been a member of the House of Representatives, the Constitution does not dictate that to be a requirement to lead the House.
On Monday, Trump acknowledged the idea during another media interview.
“Well, I’ve heard the talk and it’s getting more and more,” he reportedly said.
“But it’s not something that I would’ve considered but it is certainly — there’s a lot of talk about it. I have a good relationship with Kevin and hopefully we will do everything traditionally,” referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). “But the election was a horrible, horrible thing for our country.”
Recent polling shows a solid majority of Republican voters indicating they still support Trump and wish to see him run for president again in 2024.
Trump has not committed to another White House bid, instead opting to focus on helping getting Republicans who are loyal to him and his policies elected to the House and Senate during the 2022 midterm elections.
The former president has also attacked Republican leadership in the Senate, calling Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a “hack” and a leader who is too weak to lead the party.
McConnell blamed Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. McCarthy has been more supportive of Trump, leading an ouster of the former president’s most vocal critic within his caucus, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), from her position as House Conference chair and visiting Trump at his Mar-A-Lago estate on at least one occasion since he left office.