Republican Kevin McCarthy's audio proves he discussed urging Trump to resign
New audio has revealed US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had told his fellow Republicans that he’d “had it” with Donald Trump.
The audio, recorded days after Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol Hill, depicts McCarthy talking to House GOP leadership colleagues in a Jan. 10, 2021, call, telling them that he had “had it” with Trump.
“Alright, I know this is not fun, I know this is not great. I know this is very tough. But what I want to do, especially through here, is I don’t want to rush things. I want everybody to have all the information needed. I’ve had it with this guy. What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that, and nobody should defend it,” McCarthy said in the recording of the call released on Friday.
Another recording from Jan. 11, 2021, House GOP conference call with a much larger group of House Republicans depicts McCarthy as saying that Trump took some responsibility for the Capitol attack.
“But let me be very clear to all of you, and I’ve been very clear to the president: He bears responsibility for his words and actions. No ifs, ands, or buts. I asked him personally today, does he hold responsible for what happened? Does he feel bad about what happened?” McCarthy said.
“He told me he does have some responsibility for what happened. And he needs to acknowledge that.”
McCarthy said he didn't believe Trump would voluntarily step down, and contemplated rallying Congress to have him impeached a second time, saying that he believed the measure would pass both the House and Senate.
"I'm seriously thinking of having that conversation with him tonight," McCarthy said. "From what I know of him — I mean, you guys know him too — do you think he would ever back away?"
In a conversation with Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted from party leadership weeks later over her opposition to Trump, McCarthy told her that then-President Trump should resign over the Jan. 6 attack.
McCarthy revealed to Cheney that he planned to discuss a mechanism for invoking the 25th Amendment, under which then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Cabinet could have removed Trump.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that McCarthy and Trump, who aims to run for reelection, had spoken by phone and the Republican former president was not upset about McCarthy's remarks back then.
McCarthy, in the meantime, aims to become House majority speaker next year if Republicans take control of the chamber in November's midterm elections, as expected.
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