NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: As the political scenario has witnessed a shift following Kevin McCarthy's ouster as House Speaker, Republicans are openly calling for Donald Trump to become the next Speaker.
Speaking to the New York Post, a Republican House aide said the former President is "interested in the job."
What did Donald Trump say about becoming the next Speaker?
Talking to reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom where the GOP kingpin's trial for civil fraud is ongoing on Wednesday, October 4, Trump said "A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is we’ll do whatever is best for the country and the Republican Party."
"My total focus is on being president," the 77-year-old added and further stated that there are other "great people" in the Grand Old Party who will be able to assume the role.
Do House rules restrict those with felony indictments from becoming the Speaker?
One major obstacle the former President would face in serving the role is the House rules that restrict those with felony indictments.
As per the Conference Rules of the 118th Congress, "A member of the Republican Leadership shall step aside if indicted for a felony for which a sentence of two or more years’ imprisonment may be imposed."
How many indictments is Donald Trump facing?
Currently, Trump has four indictments as he is facing 91 criminal counts. The potential penalties will be more than 400 years in total in prison.
Though it is possible to amend these rules to accommodate the former President, the prospect of him dealing with the legal battles while simultaneously taking up the role of a Speaker could be a daunting challenge.
Internet says it 'would be epic' if Donald Trump becomes the Speaker
Social media users rallied to respond to the idea of Donald Trump serving the role of a Speaker. "It would be epic to the reaction from the Left!", said a Twitter user while another referred to the 2024 presidential election and wrote, "Let’s just make this race for 2024 more interesting."
"It would be glorious, but it will never happen," a user opined and someone tweeted, "This would be the most unexpected plot twist. Third in line for the presidency."
"Honey!!!! make some popcorn!!!!," a user joked and another user wrote, "What’s the most ridiculous thing that could happen to the US legislature this month? I think we’ve found it."
