Trump says he and Kevin McCarthy remain on good terms

Former President Donald Trump said in an interview on Friday that he and Kevin McCarthy remain on good terms — despite recent reports that the House Minority Leader planned to ask him to resign after the Capitol riot.

Though he admitted he wasn’t pleased when he heard McCarthy’s comments, Trump cleared the air about their relationship in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, where he also said McCarthy ultimately never called him to urge his resignation .

The former president said McCarthy resumed his support for Trump “when he found out the facts,” a few weeks after the Jan. 10, 2021 call between House Republicans.

“He has called. I heard the call I didn’t like the call,” said the ex-president of the newspaper from Mar-a-Lago.

“But almost immediately, as you know, because he came over here and we got a picture right there — you know, the support was very strong,” he added, pointing to a spot in the room where Mr. McCarthy and Trump were posed for a photo together in late January, confirming the President’s leadership in the GOP.

“I think that’s all a huge compliment, frankly,” Trump said of party members who criticized him after Jan. 6 but ultimately chose to support him. “They realized they were wrong and supported me.”

In audio released Thursday, McCarthy can be heard speaking Jan. 10 with Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and other Republicans about how the president should deal with the fallout from the events of Jan. 6 and the likelihood of a successful impeachment .

“Well, that’s a personal fear I have,” says the minority leader. “I don’t want to get into a conversation about pardoning Pence.”

“Again, the only arguments I would have with him is that I think this will pass and it would be my recommendation that you should resign,” he continues. “I mean that would be my opinion but I don’t think he would take it – but I don’t know.”

McCarthy added that he didn’t think the President would listen to his advice, saying: “From what I know about him, I think you all know him too – do you think he would ever back down says McCarthy. “But I think I’ll call him.”

McCarthy initially responded to the New York Times report by claiming it was “completely false and false.” Hours later, the newspaper released the audio supporting their report, which was also played on MCNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.” More New York Times audio recordings were released on Friday, this time by CNN.

Liz Cheney (R-WY) on Friday denied she leaked the audio to the press.

McCarthy has not publicly addressed the audio since it was released and reportedly spoke to the former president on Thursday night, the Washington Post reported.

In audio released Friday of a second Jan. 11 call with GOP leaders, McCarthy told colleagues that Trump “told me he had some responsibility for what happened,” which Trump flatly denied on Friday.

“No, that is wrong. I never took responsibility,” Mr Trump said in the interview.

According to the Journal, McCarthy has called GOP colleagues to confirm he and Trump still have a good relationship.

Trump told the newspaper that he would continue to support the House Minority Leader, who is currently up for re-election.

“Well I don’t know anyone else who’s running and I think I actually had a very good relationship with him,” Trump told The Journal. “I like him. And apart from that short span of time, I suspect he likes me quite a bit.”