Former President Donald Trump followed up his social media post eviscerating Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and his bid for House speaker by placing phone calls to myriad chamber Republicans to express his dislike for the majority whip, Politico reported Tuesday.
And just like that, Emmer's run at No. 1 in the House was over hours after it ended.
"He's done. It's over. I killed him," Trump told a confidante, according to the Politico report.
Trump's decision to derail Emmer's bid came 24 hours after he told reporters in New Hampshire, "I'm trying to stay out of that as much as possible. But they'll get it straightened out.
"I've always gotten along with him, and I get along with all of them. A lot of good people," Trump said about Emmer.
Emmer even tried to extend the olive branch in a social media post Monday night, responding to the video of Trump's remarks.
"If my colleagues elect me Speaker of the House, I look forward to continuing our strong working relationship," Emmer posted to X.
Trump's allies started in on Emmer on Friday night, when the new slate of candidates began to come together in the aftermath of Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, bowing out after a third failed floor vote. Jordan had the hearty endorsement of Trump but was rejected by the conference.
Emmer called Trump on Saturday in an effort to win him over.
But then Trump blasted Emmer on Tuesday in a Truth Social post, writing, "Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!"
Then came the phone calls, according to Politico, with Trump and his allies flipping Reps. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., after all three said behind closed doors that they would support Emmer.
Emmer's sins against Trump were aplenty, according to reports out the hours-long private House GOP meeting Tuesday:
– Emmer said he would have certified Joe Biden's 2020 election win;
– Emmer opposed then-President Trump's proposed ban on transgender troops;
– Emmer demurred when asked if he supported Trump for the GOP nod in 2024;
– Emmer did not defend Trump against the multiple criminal indictments;
– Emmer was critical of Trump post Jan. 6 riots;
– Emmer, then chair of the NRCC, purportedly advised GOP candidates from mentioning Trump, an accusation he denied.
Regardless, it all added up to the end of a candidacy for speaker, the third House Republican to go down in flames.
"I said there's only one person that can do it all the way, you know who that is? That's Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ came down and said 'I want to be Speaker,' he would do it," Trump told reporters Monday in New Hampshire. "Other than that, I haven't seen anyone that can guarantee it. But at some point, I think we're going to have somebody pretty soon."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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