- Trump has called on House GOP holdouts to drop their opposition to McCarthy's speakership.
- During a Brietbart interview, the former president said McCarthy "deserves the shot" to lead.
Former President Donald Trump last week urged holdout Republicans in the House GOP Conference to drop their opposition to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid to become speaker, warning them that they were "playing a very dangerous game."
In an interview with Breitbart News, Trump said that the California Republican, who has been an ally of the former president during his post-presidency, deserves a chance at leading the lower chamber. Republicans were successful in flipping the House in the midterms, but come January, they have a slim 222-212 edge.
"Look, I think this Kevin has worked very hard," Trump said during the interview. "I think he deserves the shot. Hopefully, he's going to be very strong and going to be very good and he's going to do what everybody wants."
"Now, I'm friendly with a lot of those people who are against Kevin. I think almost every one of them are very much inclined toward Trump, and me toward them. But I have to tell them, and I have told them, you're playing a very dangerous game," he added.
Five conservatives — Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Matt Rosendale of Montana, and Bob Good of Virginia — have so far continued to oppose McCarthy's speakership.