Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has publicly voiced his opposition to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s bid for House speaker. This comes as a stark contrast to Trump’s earlier statement that he would not involve himself in the race for the second most powerful position in the country.
Trump Says No to Tom Emmer for Speaker ?https://t.co/X1Go7AXCbn
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) October 24, 2023
Taking to his preferred platform, Truth Social, Trump expressed his disapproval of Emmer’s candidacy, stating, “I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them.” Trump went on to criticize Emmer’s lack of respect for his endorsement and the principles of the MAGA movement, claiming that the congressman had spent more time defending Ilhan Omar than supporting him. Trump concluded, “Voting for a globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”
Despite Trump previously stating his intention to stay out of the speaker race, he changed his stance and made his objections known after a series of secret ballots resulted in Emmer securing the nomination. Trump humorously recounted a phone call with Emmer, who apparently called in an attempt to win his support. “He’s my biggest fan now because he called me yesterday and told me he’s my biggest fan,” joked Trump.
Emmer’s candidacy has faced criticism from Trump and his base due to his stances on various issues, including support for gay marriage, the debt ceiling agreement, and opposition to the Electoral College. Moreover, Emmer’s certification of the 2020 election, which Trump claims was stolen from him, further strained their relationship. Emmer’s endorsement by Representative Kevin McCarthy, seen as an establishment move, has also alienated some conservative Republicans.
With more than two dozen GOP holdouts, Emmer faces an uphill battle to secure the necessary 217 votes to become House speaker. Previous contenders Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Steve Scalise (R-La.) also struggled to rally sufficient support. The Epoch Times reached out to Emmer’s office for comment, but no response has been received thus far.
