Did Trump Pull Support for Kevin McCarthy After Lauren Boebert Criticism?

A press release using former President Donald Trump's signature masthead has been circulating on social media, claiming he is "very disappointed" in Representative Kevin McCarthy, Trump's previous endorsement for House speaker for the new congressional term.

However, according to a post on Trump's Truth Social account Wednesday night, the statement is "a forgery and a fake."

House Republicans have been torn on choosing the next speaker in six separate votes over the past two days. While a large majority of GOP members have continued to endorse McCarthy, with 201 representatives voting for the minority leader in the sixth round on Wednesday, McCarthy has failed to garner enough support to be elected as speaker.

Trump previously endorsed McCarthy for the position back in June, and some of the former president's closest allies, like Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have pushed their Republicans to rally around the Republican from California. The former president furthered his support for McCarthy in a Truth Social post early Wednesday morning as well, writing that it was time for "all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN."

"DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT," read the post. "IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB—JUST WATCH!

According to the fake press release that was shared later in the day, however, the former president supposedly changed his mind and argued that House Republicans "need new Leadership."

"House members should now rally behind Byron Donalds, who will be sure to push the MAGA agenda," read the release. "Get it done!"

The release was posted by several users on Twitter Wednesday, including Antonio Pitocco, a former Republican congressional candidate from Maryland.

Donalds, a Republican from Florida, was nominated for speaker by Representative Chip Roy on Wednesday, and backed by some of Trump's most loyal supporters, including Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert.

During her speech on the House floor to nominate Donalds, Boebert called out Trump for his continued support for McCarthy—although the congresswoman did acknowledged her continued support for the former president.

"Let's stop with the campaign smears and tactics to get people to turn against us, even having my favorite president [Donald Trump] call us and tell us we need to knock this off," Boebert said. "I think it actually needs to be reversed, the president needs to tell [Representative] Kevin McCarthy that 'sir, you do not have the votes and it's time to withdraw.'"

Trump, however, did not back down on his support for McCarthy as of Wednesday evening, and told his followers on Truth Social to "disregard" the fake press release claiming his endorsement for Donalds in its entirety.

"I have always supported Byron Donalds, have consistently Endorsed him for Congress and, in fact, feel that I was a primary reason he entered politics in the first place," the former president wrote in a separate post Wednesday.

"With that all being said, the story and statement that was just put out that I endorsed Byron for Speaker of the House is Fake and Fraudulent," the post continued. "He will have his day, and it will be a big one, but not now!"

House members will return for a seventh speaker vote at 8 p.m. Wednesday, giving the Republican members time to potentially reach a consensus before the next round. All 212 House Democrats have stayed united through the voting so far, with every caucus member supporting New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries for the speaker slot.

Newsweek reached out to Boebert and Trump's press teams for comment.