Trump made push to become House speaker back in January – but the results left him 'embarrassed': report
Former President Donald Trump entertained becoming speaker of the House of Representatives this week before aides reportedly heard panicked reactions from Republican lawmakers and talked him out of it.
Now ABC News' Jonathan Karl, in an excerpt from an upcoming book called "Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party," reports that Trump first became interested in running to be the speaker back in January, when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was struggling to get enough votes together.
At first, Trump was "embarrassed" when Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) put Trump's name in to become speaker, only to watch the chamber erupt in laughter and to see himself get only one vote.
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However, sources tell Karl that Trump gradually became more captivated by the drama of the floor vote and warmed to the idea of being at the center of attention in Congress, which was when he warmed up to Gaetz making a serious bid to get Republicans to back him for the speakership.
"One Republican close to both Gaetz and Trump later told me Gaetz ran the idea by the former president and got his approval before making the move," writes Karl. "Another said Trump had proactively asked Gaetz to do it. Either way, the former president's name was formally placed in contention -- with Trump's blessing."
Gaetz then gave a speech on the floor of the House making a case for Trump's candidacy – but it didn't seem to sway his fellow Republicans as he'd hoped it would.
"Donald Trump received just one vote – from Matt Gaetz – for speaker of the House," writes Karl. "And once again, the cable networks rubbed it in, plastering a measly "1" next to Trump's name as commentators mocked the former president's pathetic vote total. That was the final straw."