Trump Would Accept House Speakership... But There's a Catch

Soon after the House voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership, the conversation quickly changed to speculation about who might become the next House speaker. Several names have been floated, but so far only Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Steve Scalise (R-La.) have declared their candidacies for the post.

There is no requirement that the House speaker be a member of the House of Representatives, and some are floating the idea of nominating President Trump.

Originally, Trump said he wasn’t interested. “No, I think that it’s not something I wanted. A lot of people bring it up. It’s brought up all the time. No, it’s not something I want to do. I want to look at what’s happening, and then we’re going to be doing something else. No, it’s not something I would be interested in,” Trump said last year.

Now, however, Trump says he’d actually do it. There’s just a small catch.

Trump told Fox News Digital that he’d accept the position temporarily with the goal of uniting the party while they deliberate on the selection of a permanent House speaker.

“I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress,” Trump explained. “If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for president.”

Trump emphasized his willingness to assume the speakership temporarily for a period of “30, 60, or 90 days” if Republicans can’t come to an agreement.

Related: Donald Trump Is the Last Person Who Should Comment About GOP Unity

“They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision,” he added.

Trump did not say who has approached him, although several Republicans have publicly voiced their preference for him as speaker.

As amusing as such a scenario would be, I don’t think Trump really wants the job, and I have significant doubts as to whether he could get elected speaker. Sure, it would be great to see the Democrats flip out with Trump wielding the gavel after they helped oust McCarthy—heck that would almost be worth it—but I don’t see the job as one that would suit him.