The Speaker of the US House of Representatives admits that Mr. Trump is stronger than in 2016

House Speaker McCarthy says Trump is stronger than in the 2016 election, but isn't sure if he's the strongest Republican candidate.

US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on June 27 that the US media is trying to divide former president Donald Trump from Republicans, but many polls indicate he is likely to represent this party. running for office in 2024.

US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the US-Mexico border in Arizona on February 16.  Photo: AFP

A Morning Consult poll released on the same day showed Trump leading with 44% support in a hypothetical election, and President Joe Biden with 41%. Biden is followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who often comes in second in the Republican primaries polls.

"Just looking at those stats, we can see that Mr. Trump is stronger now than he was in 2016," the speaker of the US House of Representatives said.

The statement was made by McCarthy after he said in an earlier CNBC interview that he was skeptical that Trump was the Republican's best choice.

"I don't know if Mr. Trump is the strongest Republican. But I think any candidate can beat Biden," McCarthy said, adding that Trump-era policies were better than the administration's. Biden.

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, criticized the speaker's remarks, accusing him of implying that the former US president was not good by only praising policy instead of praising Mr.

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives has not expressed support for any of the Republican candidates. McCarthy has remained on good terms with Trump since the former president left office in 2021.

In addition to former President Trump, Republicans are having many potential candidates such as Florida Governor, former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and former Vice President Mike Pence. The large number of candidates will likely make the Republican race more fierce.

Political risks for Mr. Trump after the indictment of classified documents
The latest allegations of withholding of classified documents could be more serious than the New York prosecution and pose a major campaign challenge for Mr. Trump.

After former President Donald Trump was indicted on charges of "silent money" on porn stars in New York in March, many speculated this would be the end of his political career. However, the reality is not like that.

Weeks after New York prosecutors announced a series of charges against Mr. Trump for "faking business records" to conceal the money spent to keep the stories of porn star Stormy Daniel, the approval rating of the former US president has skyrocketed in the polls.

He still leads in the race for the Republican nomination for president in 2024 and nearly doubles the gap to second place, according to a compilation of national opinion polls compiled by the website. web fivethirtyeight implemented.

Former US President Donald Trump during a rally in Warren City, Michigan, in October 2022. Photo: Reuters

Loyal voters still support Trump wholeheartedly, despite the accusations against him. According to an April poll conducted by USA Today/Suffolk, two-thirds of Trump-supporting voters said the former president's legal situation made no difference in their views, while 27% said it would make them more supportive of him.

Averaging national polls, Presidents Joe Biden and Mr Trump are now in the balance.

But the situation may not be so favorable for Mr. Trump after he was indicted at the federal level on 37 charges, including unlawful retention of classified national documents and obstruction of justice. According to observers, the indictments related to classified documents carry more weight and are likely to begin to affect Trump's position.

It will give the message of party opponents, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a stronger resonance, says Anthony Zurcher, a veteran political commentator from the BBC .