Trump Wouldn’t Rescue McCarthy

Washington Post: “For years, McCarthy prided himself on his close relationship with Trump, defending the former president through countless controversies and cajoling him to support the former speaker’s own political priorities. He challenged Trump’s 2020 election defeat and swallowed his objections to Trump’s conduct in the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He navigated around some of the former president’s congressional endorsements even when those candidates appeared destined for defeat. Within the past few months, he helped Trump’s team secure coveted changes to the California GOP’s primary rules. And in recent weeks, he had all but endorsed Trump’s nomination for the 2024 presidential race, an unusual move for a top congressional leader this early in a contested primary.”

“But as McCarthy’s speakership teetered on the brink Tuesday, Trump stayed resolutely on the sidelines as his acolyte, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), engineered a vote that ultimately ejected McCarthy from his leadership post.”