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Bloomberg

Some Republicans favour an outsider to serve as the next US House speaker: Donald Trump.
Yet the former president and current Republican Party 2024 front runner is ineligible for the post under the party’s own rules barring anyone under indictment for serious charges from any House leadership role.
Those rules would need to be changed for Trump as he is facing four felony indictments and 91 separate counts.
“A lot of people have asked me about it,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “But we’ve got some great people in the Republican Party that could do a great job as speaker.”

Trump didn’t reject the idea out of hand but said he’s focused on reclaiming the White House. Nevertheless his name emerged after House Republicans huddled behind closed doors Tuesday to discuss a replacement for the deposed Kevin McCarthy.
Steve Scalise, the chamber’s No 2 Republican, and Jim Jordan, a vocal supporter of Trump, have said they would seek the post. Other Republicans said they were weighing their options.
McCarthy’s historic ouster as House speaker roils Washington
“He’d be great, but actually, I want Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States,” Jordan said on Fox’s Hannity. “If he wants to be speaker, great, but I want him to be president of the United States.”
Until now, the speaker has always been a member of the House from the majority party, but there’s no rule that requires it. The constitution says only: “The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers”.
The Republican Party conference, however, has a rule saying no one indicted for a felony punishable by more than two years in prison can serve in leadership.
Republican Troy Nehls of Texas said Tuesday he would place Trump’s name into nomination. A change in Republican Party rules to permit the former president to serve as speaker would require a majority vote of House Republicans.
The prospect of a Speaker Trump shows the large shadow he casts over Republican politics – especially in the House, where members run every two years and a Trump endorsement is still a sought-after seal of approval.
“The only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting is President Donald J. Trump,” wrote congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene on X, formerly Twitter. “We can make him Speaker and then elect him President!”


The idea is meeting resistance in some never-Trump quarters of the Republican Party. “Really, we want a convicted felon to be president of the US?” former New Jersey governor Chris Christie told CNBC on Wednesday. “And you have some jokers on the Hill yesterday saying let’s make him speaker?”
In 2021, after Republicans had floated Trump’s name as a potential speaker, Pennsylvania Democratic congressman Brendan Boyle introduced the MEMBERS Act – an acronym for “Mandating that being an Elected Member Be an Essential Requirement for Speakership”.
The bill never got a vote. And so members and pundits continue to entertain the idea of an unconventional choice from outside the chamber. Votes for them have become one way to lodge a protest vote in speaker elections.
Among those who’ve drawn support in the past: retired general Colin Powell (2013 and twice in 2015) former US Comptroller General David Walker (2013), future President Joe Biden (2019), former Georgia state lawmaker Stacey Abrams (2019), Senator Tammy Duckworth (2019 and 2021) and former congressman Lee Zeldin (2023).
Republicans have set an October 11 vote to choose a House leader and are due to meet the day before to hear from candidates.
Additional reporting by Reuters


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Donald Trump

Almost anyone can become US House speaker, except Donald Trump

Donald Trump faces a total of 91 charges across four criminal cases. Photo: Reuters

Republicans are seeking a replacement for the deposed Kevin McCarthy. Photo: AP

US House paralysed as Republicans seek new leader after Kevin McCarthy booted

A camera crew waits outside the US Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: Bloomberg

Ohio congressman Jim Jordan leaves a meeting of the Republican Texas House delegation at the US Capitol on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

US House Majority Leader Steve Scalise arrives for a meeting of the Republican Texas House delegation at Capitol on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Oklahoma congressman Kevin Hern leaves a meeting of the Republican Texas House delegation in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster as House speaker stuns US lawmakers, frays relationships and roils Washington

Kevin McCarthy when he was elected House speaker in January (left) and walking from the House Chamber (right) after he was ousted as speaker on Tuesday. Photos: AFP

Kevin McCarthy leaving the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington. Photo: AP

Kevin McCarthy speaking to reporters hours after he was ousted as Speaker of the House. Photo: AP

Night falls on the dome of the Capitol, hours after Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the House. Photo: AP

Congressman Matt Gaetz, the bombastic Republican who initiated Kevin McCarthy’s ouster. Photo: Reuters

With Kevin McCarthy out, who will be the next speaker of the US House?

Night falls on the dome of the US Capitol hours after congressmn Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker of the House on Tuesday. Photo: AP

US House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks during a news conference in Washington in September. Photo: AFP)

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (right) speaks with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Washington in September. Photo: AFP

US congressman Jim Jordan speaks during an on-camera interview in the Capitol Building in January. Photo: TNS

US congressman Byron Donalds speaks to reporters before a House Republican caucus meeting in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

US congressman Patrick McHenry talks to reporters in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: AP

US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries listens during a news conference at the Capitol on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Infighting US Republicans oust Kevin McCarthy, their own House speaker, in historic vote

Republican infighting toppled Kevin McCarthy as House speaker. Photo: AP

Kevin McCarthy said he won’t run again for the US House speaker role. Photo: AP

Florida conservative Matt Gaetz, who forced the removal vote. Photo: Bloomberg

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Republican Party rules prohibit a House speaker who is indicted for a felony
Former president Donald Trump says he’s focused on run for the White House


Some Republicans favour an outsider to serve as the next US House speaker: Donald Trump. But the party’s own rules prohibit a speaker who is indicted for a felony.


Almost anyone can become US House speaker, except Donald Trump

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Republican Party rules prohibit a House speaker who is indicted for a felony Former president Donald Trump says he’s focused on run for the White House

Republican Party rules prohibit a House speaker who is indicted for a felony

Former president Donald Trump says he’s focused on run for the White House