Kevin McCarthy defends Jan. 6 comments about Trump resignation


House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R) defended himself against criticism from the hardline Trumpist wing of his party on Wednesday after audio recordings of comments he made following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot were released last week, The Washington Post reports.
McCarthy, who is angling to become Speaker of the House if Republicans reclaim the chamber in November, said at a meeting with top Republicans in the days after the riot that he'd "had it with" then-President Donald Trump and that he planned to advise Trump to resign, according to excerpts from a new book by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns.
McCarthy denied the report, but an audio recording featured the minority leader discussing plans to tell the then-president "it would be my recommendation you should resign."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted McCarthy, calling him a Democratic "puppet," and urging conservatives to "get their act together" to prevent McCarthy from becoming speaker. Lawmakers like Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) also publicly criticized McCarthy this week over the recording.
At a meeting with House Republicans on Wednesday, McCarthy told lawmakers he "was merely engaging in a 'conversation of scenarios' about Trump," reports the Post.
Gaetz reportedly stood up to castigate McCarthy, but most attendees responded to his speech with a standing ovation.
According to the Post, Trump has so far been "willing to accept McCarthy's explanations," meaning his bid for the speakership is still alive and well.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Some mainstream Democrats struggle with Zohran Mamdani's surprise win
TALKING POINT To embrace or not embrace? A party in transition grapples with a rising star ready to buck political norms and energize a new generation.
-
How to make music part of your vacation
Let the rhythm move you
-
What is credit card churning and why is it risky?
the explainer Churners frequently open new credit cards with the intent of earning a welcome bonus and accessing other perks
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from