Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) voted for former President Donald Trump to be Speaker of the House on Thursday.
According to Breitbart News' report, the vote occurred during the seventh round of voting in the contentious speakership election, which is was in its third day:
My vote for Speaker of the House today?
Donald John Trump. pic.twitter.com/ajFdcHVPM5
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 5, 2023
Gaetz is one of several Republican holdouts who have refused to unite behind Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the House, forcing a second vote earlier this week — an unprecedented occurrence in the country's history.
In a letter to the Architect of the Capitol on Tuesday, Gaetz questioned why McCarthy was in the Speaker's office despite not having that position:
The Speaker of the House Office in the Capitol is currently being occupied by Kevin McCarthy.
Kevin McCarthy is not the Speaker of the House. He lost 3 consecutive votes today.
I’m demanding answers from the Architect of the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/AIZ8bFks6W
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 4, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is among those who have criticized her colleagues for failing to unite behind McCarthy, even throwing her "friend" Gaetz under the bus.
“Let me remind every everyone this Matt Gaetz who has compared Kevin McCarthy to Paul Ryan — my friend Matt Gaetz — he supported Paul Ryan almost more than anyone,” she said. “It’s still on his social media.”
“As a matter of fact, his first vote in Congress was for Paul Ryan as Speaker and then he cheered him on for nearly a year and a half or more, when people like me were at home furious at Paul Ryan’s speakership because it wasn’t passing the MAGA agenda that we all supported,” she added.
McCarthy may be making progress behind closed doors with his GOP critics, according to POLITICO Playbook, by discussing concessions such as Rules Committee seats for Freedom Caucus members, a lower threshold for the "motion to vacate," changes to the appropriations process, and a vote on term limits.
“I felt as though we had a very good discussion,” McCarthy said. “I think what you should gauge is, being able to do that [adjournment] vote, is that the discussions are going well and they’re continuing. That doesn’t mean they’re done or anything like that,” he added.
Gaetz's vote comes after Trump formally endorsed McCarthy after initially refusing to take a position.
“Some really good conversations took place last night,” Trump said in a statement, urging Republicans to “VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,THE ONLY SPEAKER IN U.S. HISTORY TO HAVE LOST THE ‘HOUSE’ TWICE!”
“REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT,” he added. “Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB – JUST WATCH!”
