Politics- Over the years, Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump's friendship has waxed and waned.
- Initially, McCarthy accused him of being a Russian asset. Now, he's endorsed him for a second term.
Months after he was ousted as speaker of the House, ultimately leading him to say "Fuck you" to former President Donald Trump, now-retired Rep. Kevin McCarthy now compares his relationship with him to romantic partners fighting.
McCarthy made the comments in a newly-published interview with the Financial Times over lunch about his career in public office.
Asked about his relationship with the former executive-in-chief, he turned the question around on the Financial Times' reporter about her relationship with her spouse.
"Have you ever fought? Have you ever expressed your opinion? Because you love this person, would you express it stronger than you would express to somebody you met on the street?"
The bond between Trump and McCarthy has fluctuated over the years. Before securing the Republican presidential nomination, McCarthy was recorded privately telling members of Congress he believed Trump was on Russian President Vladimir Putin's payroll.
"There's two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump," McCarthy reportedly said in a leaked recording. "Swear to God."
The two politicians would eventually become close: According to a Politico report from February 2017, Trump and McCarthy spoke on the phone several times per week.
Asked at the time why he thought he was in Trump's good graces, McCarthy told the outlet it was because of the work he put in building up ties between Trump and members of the Republican caucus.
"I fought hard to bring the conference together behind Trump," McCarthy said. "Part of my job was helping him understand who could be his allies inside Congress. But also showing the assets of Trump to the members."
The pair grew even closer as Trump's presidency continued. Later, in October 2017, McCarthy reportedly gifted the president a jar of Starburst candies that only contained Trump's two favorite colored ones: red and pink.
During Trump's first impeachment in 2019, McCarthy was crucial in fomenting the GOP's coordinated response, declaring the impeachment process was unfairly done.
But later, when Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and his supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the results, McCarthy and the president reportedly butted heads.
A book about the Capitol riots noted that as rioters entered the building, Trump told McCarthy over the phone that his supporters cared more about the election than him.
"Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are," Trump reportedly said.
And while the two ultimately made amends post-Trump's presidency, Trump ultimately did very little to support McCarthy as he was set to lose his speakership at the end of 2023.
Nevertheless, before retiring from office in December, McCarthy endorsed Trump's 2024 campaign to return to the White House, noting that "in the right position" he'd be willing to serve on Trump's cabinet.