
Former US President Donald Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday that he would accept a short-term role as speaker of the House of Representatives to serve as a "unifier" for the Republican Party until lawmakers reach a decision on who should take on the post.
His comments come two days after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was removed as speaker of the House after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a measure against him known as a motion to vacate, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.
In January, as the House considered who should become the speaker after Republicans took the majority of the chamber, Gaetz opted not to vote for McCarthy or Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who was floated as an option, but voted instead for Trump.
When Gaetz’s name was called during the seventh round of voting, he responded at the time, "Donald John Trump."
Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday, "I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress. If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for President."
"They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision," Trump added.
The former President did not specify who had asked him, although a number of Republican lawmakers said this week that he is their preference for speaker.
Trump stressed that if Republicans cannot come to a consensus, he would take the speakership for a short "30, 60, or 90-day period."
"I would only do it for the party," he said, stressing that his focus is on his presidential campaign.