Explosive recording published
Republican McCarthy wanted Trump’s resignation
4/22/2022 10:33 p.m
The storming of the US Capitol by fanatical Trump supporters also caused horror in the party of the then US President. Top Republican Kevin McCarthy even speaks out internally for Trump’s withdrawal. This is evidenced by an audio recording from last year, which has now come to light.
According to a telephone recording, leading Republican Kevin McCarthy considered asking then-US President Donald Trump to resign after the attack on the Capitol in January 2021. The New York Times published a recording of McCarthy’s phone call with the House of Representatives faction leadership on January 10, 2021, a few days after the Capitol attack.
McCarthy, the Republican minority leader in the Congress Chamber, said he would advise Trump to resign, according to the audio file. With a view to an impending impeachment resolution in Congress, he wanted to say to his party colleague: “I think it will go through. And I would recommend resigning.”
According to the recording, he also admitted that it was unlikely that Trump would follow the advice. The “New York Times” further quoted McCarthy as saying: “What he (Trump) has done is unacceptable. Nobody can defend it and nobody should defend it.” The prominent Republican Liz Cheney can also be heard in the recording.
McCarthy criticizes newspaper report
The “New York Times” initially reported on McCarthy’s statements without publishing the recording of the call. The Republican vehemently denied the report in a statement on Twitter, calling the account “completely false.” After the publication of the audio file, he initially did not comment.
On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters violently stormed the seat of the US Congress in the capital Washington. Five people were killed, including a police officer. The unprecedented outbreak of violence caused horror. Trump had to face impeachment over the attack because he had previously incited his supporters in a speech. At the end of the trial he was acquitted.
Immediately after the attack, various Republicans, including high-ranking ones, expressed shock and distanced themselves from Trump. McCarthy and the top Republican in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell, initially blamed Trump for the storming of the Capitol. They later sided with their party colleague again, probably because of his strong support at the base.