Kevin McCarthy Credits Trump for His House Speaker Win

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) delivers a speech after he was elected the speakership on the 15th ballot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 7, 2023 Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) thanked former President Donald Trump for helping him secure the speakership.

“I do want to especially thank President [Donald] Trump. I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence. He was with me from the beginning,” McCarthy told reporters early morning on Jan. 7, after winning the 15th vote to become the new speaker of the House.