Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) are ramping up their attacks on one another.

According to the Washington Examiner, during an interview Sunday, McCarthy suggested that once a House Ethics Committee-led investigation into Gaetz is made public, the Florida Republican could face expulsion threats similar to those received by Rep. George Santos (R-NY).

Gaetz was one of the leading voices in the successful effort to oust McCarthy from his House speakership.

McCarthy's assessment of the ethics probe into Gaetz came during a Sunday appearance on Fox News, where he also praised Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-LA) "laddering" continued resolution to keep the government operating and troops paid until a spending bill can be negotiated and passed.

McCarthy slams Gaetz

The former speaker held nothing back in his assessment of the current situation, and connected Gaetz and the other Republicans who ousted him to the continued problems with stopping spending bills from moving forward.

McCarthy: Gaetz to Meet Similar Fate as Santos https://t.co/c2HCoxPHvA

— Elena (@helen44767171) November 20, 2023

"I think Johnson was very smart about making sure keeping our troops paid, especially in the Mediterranean where they are right now,” McCarthy began. "Unfortunately, we had a number of members doing the exact same thing they did before, stopping bills from moving forward."

He added, "We're gonna have to come together."

"We do know this is really driven … [by] Matt Gaetz’s ethics complaint. I think once that ethics complaint comes forward, he could have the same problem that Santos has. I think the conference would be probably better united to be able to move forward and get this all done."

Gaetz and McCarthy have butted heads for some time, and McCarthy's ouster created new tension between them, which has played out in view of the public's eye.

Social media reacts

Gaetz received plenty of support across social media, with many still sour on McCarthy's broken promises and other actions that didn't line up with his vows prior to become speaker for a short time.

"Matt Gaetz deserves a lot of the credit for making these tapes come to the public. McCarthy made a pledge and broke it. Johnson made a pledge and kept it," Ryan Fournier wrote on X. 

Matt Gaetz deserves a lot of the credit for making these tapes come to the public.

McCarthy made a pledge and broke it.

Johnson made a pledge and kept it.

— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) November 18, 2023

Only time will tell if McCarthy's predictions about Gaetz come true.