Far-right Florida representative Matt Gaetz has spoken out against Donald Trump over his support for House minority leader Kevin McCarthy as the next speaker, saying some of his past picks were a “parade of horribles”.
During the Turning Point USA America Fest event in Phoenix on Monday, conservative network Real America’s Voice host Charlie Kirk asked Mr Gaetz: “Trump said Kevin McCarthy should be speaker of the House.”
The Florida Republican, who is otherwise a vocal Trump supporter, responded by saying: “HR was not always his best thing.”
“It was sort of a parade of horribles with some of the people he chose inside of Washington, DC so maybe we ought to have a choice,” he said, adding that his support for Mr Trump’s presidency, however, continued.
“I’ll be for Trump for president but I will not follow him in supporting Kevin McCarthy for speaker.”
Lauren Boebert, another supporter of the former president, also voiced similar opinions. She said she disagreed with the former president and Marjorie Taylor Greene for supporting Mr McCarthy.
“I’ve been aligned with Marjorie and accused of believing a lot of the things that she believes in,” Ms Boebert said. “I don’t believe in this just like I don’t believe in Russian space lasers — Jewish space lasers.”
Last week, Mr Trump said he would support Mr McCarthy for the speakership and called on House Republicans to back him for the leadership post.
“Kevin has worked very hard,” he said. “I think he deserves the shot.”
Mr Gaetz and Ms Boebert are one of the handful of far-right Republicans who have openly criticised Mr Trump for endorsing Mr McCarthy as the next speaker.
The discontent among GOP members was apparent after the party underperformed in the midterm elections.
Mr McCarthy will have to secure a majority on the floor in January to become the speaker, where he faces challenge from representative Andy Biggs of Arizona.
