Key takeaways:
- Matt Gaetz and Matt Rosendale denounced the effort to impeach President Joe Biden as a political stunt.
- Donald Trump endorsed Jim Jordan for the newly-vacated House speaker role.
- Trump awarded Jordan the Medal of Freedom in a closed-door ceremony, seen as an endorsement of his candidacy.
WASHINGTON — Days before Rep. Matt Gaetz led an effort to oust Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, Gaetz and Rep. Matt Rosendale, a fellow Freedom Caucus member, denounced as a political stunt Republicans’ high-stakes effort to impeach President Joe Biden.
At an invitation-only fundraiser held over Zoom last week, Gaetz, R-Fla., and Rosendale, who is said to be plotting another Senate run next year, heaped skepticism on the probe. Gaetz told Steve Bannon, a podcaster and onetime political adviser to former President Donald Trump, who was moderating, “I don’t believe that we are endeavoring upon a legitimate impeachment of Joe Biden.”
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday night endorsed Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio for the newly-vacated House speaker role. In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that the 59-year-old Jordan “has my complete & total endorsement.” In his post Thursday, the president lauded Jordan for his college wrestling career and his education credentials.
Days before, Trump had awarded Jordan the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in a closed-door ceremony. The move was seen as an endorsement of Jordan’s candidacy for House speaker.
The endorsement of Jordan by Trump and Gaetz’s and Rosendale’s criticism of the impeachment effort come as Republicans are struggling to find a leader to replace McCarthy. McCarthy has been criticized by some Republicans for his handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. It is unclear if Jordan will be successful in his bid for House speaker.
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