Trump expected to visit Capitol Hill next week amid House speaker race: sources

Former President Trump is expected to head to Capitol Hill next week as the House of Representatives prepares to elect a new speaker, following the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Two sources familiar told Fox News Digital that the former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner is planning to speak with members of the House Republican conference on Tuesday as they consider who will become the next speaker of the House. Another source told Fox News Digital that the details are still being ironed out. 

Another source told Fox News Digital that the plans to travel to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday will not impact the former president’s campaign stop in New Hampshire on Monday. That visit will be his first visit back to the lead-off presidential primary state in two months.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was removed as House speaker on Tuesday after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against him known as a motion to vacate, accusing McCarthy of breaking promises he made to win the speaker’s gavel in January.

Lawmakers voted to oust McCarthy from the speakership for the first time in the history of the House of Representatives.

Since McCarthy’s ouster, both House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., have announced bids to run for speaker of the House.

It is unclear, at this point, who Trump would throw his support behind. 

‘Both of these men would represent a monumental step forward for the Republican conference,’ Gaetz told Fox News Digital during an interview Thursday. ‘I don’t believe there is a single conservative in the country who would not believe we are in a better position with either of them.’

Gaetz told Fox News Digital he would be ‘honored to vote for either of these men on the floor.’

‘In conference, I’ll make a decision based on spending,’ Gaetz said, referring to the House GOP conference meeting next week. ‘And whether they’re willing to liberate us on these continuing resolutions.’

Meanwhile, as Jordan gains support for speaker of the House within the GOP conference, questions are swirling as to who could take his post as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee — which is jointly leading the impeachment inquiry against President Biden, alongside the House Oversight and Ways & Means Committees — if he is elected.

Capitol Hill sources said Gaetz may have ambitions for the post himself, but when asked, the congressman offered his support to a colleague instead.

‘The best person to take the Judiciary Committee if Jordan became speaker would be (Louisiana Rep.) Mike Johnson,’ Gaetz told Fox News Digital. ‘Because he’s a better lawyer than I am.’