Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been working to manage the repercussions following his remarks questioning former President Donald Trump’s viability as the strongest candidate in the 2024 presidential race. McCarthy reached out to Trump on Tuesday morning to offer an apology, according to sources familiar with the matter. The apology came after McCarthy’s comments during a CNBC interview, where he expressed uncertainty about whether Trump is the “strongest” candidate but still believed he could win in 2024.
During the call, McCarthy clarified that he misspoke during the CNBC interview and claimed that some reporters had taken his comments out of context, as per the sources. While allies appreciated McCarthy’s apology, several Trump advisers expressed lingering wariness towards the speaker.
Following the call, McCarthy continued damage control by retracting his statements in an exclusive interview with right-wing publication Breitbart. A Trump campaign adviser remarked that McCarthy’s interview left no doubt about his full support for Trump.
McCarthy’s campaign further sought to mend relations by sending out a fundraising email that labeled Trump as the “strongest” opponent to President Joe Biden.
