Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy said America “doesn’t want to see the idea of retribution” from former President Trump, who has threatened retaliation if reelected.
J. Scott Applewhite/Charlie Neibergall and Donald Trump (Source: AP News/The Hill)
Trump Wants to Be Reelected
On “CBS News Sunday Morning,” McCarthy said, “Look, I don’t see that, and this is what I tell President Trump, too.” Trump’s tone and intentions have been compared to authoritarianism. Trump’s campaign should focus on repairing, restoring, and renewing America. Must not be revenge.” Robert Costa of CBS News said, “[Trump] talking about retribution, day in, day out.” After McCarthy said Trump “needs to stop that,” Costa noted the former president is “not backing away from his calls for retribution.” “Yes, but you have checks and balances. “Where’s the check and balance on him in the Republican Party?” Costa asked McCarthy. McCarthy stated, “America doesn’t want to see the idea of retribution.” “If it’s rebuilt, restored, and renewed, you’ll see.” McCarthy’s comments came amid concerns from Democrats and Republicans that Trump might abuse power to target his opponents.
Trump said he wanted to be a “dictator for one day” to secure the southern border and start digging last week, fueling these concerns. Sean Hannity asked Trump at a town hall if he would “abuse power, to break the law, to use the government to go after people” if reelected. Trump first declined to answer, but when pushed again, he said, “Except for day one.” He says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?’ I said no—except on day one. We’re closing the border and drilling. Trump told Hannity in Iowa, “After that, I’m not a dictator.” The tweet follows a succession of others in which the former president appeared to want revenge and target his perceived foes if in office in 2024.
According to McCarthy, a longstanding Trump ally, he expects Trump to be the GOP nominee in 2024 and will support him for reelection. After months of silence, McCarthy said he would serve in Trump’s Cabinet “in the right position.” McCarthy stated last week that he will resign from the House at the end of the year, two months after having lost the Speakership in a historic vote.
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