Trump Says McCarthy Made Mistake by Not Including Republicans on Jan. 6 Panel

Former President Donald Trump speaks at an event in Houston, Texas on May 27, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The top Republican in the House of Representatives erred by not having GOP members on the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach, former President Donald Trump said on June 21.

“It was a bad decision not to have representation on this Committee,” Trump told Wayne Allyn Root on his show. “That was a very, very foolish decision.”

“The Republicans don’t have a voice. They don’t even have anything to say,” Trump added to Punchbowl News.

It’s “not even a question” that McCarthy should have placed members on the panel, he said.

McCarthy’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump spoke as the panel held another hearing exploring the former president’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.

Headed by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the panel is entirely made up of anti-Trump lawmakers, including Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.).

McCarthy picked five members for the panel, including House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to seat Jordan and Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), prompting McCarthy to pull all of his picks.

“Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republicans, we will not participate,” McCarthy said at the time.

Pelosi did not.

The speaker, who had tapped Cheney for a membership, later added Kinzinger to the committee.

Both Cheney and Kinzinger are ardently against Trump.

Midterm Prospects

Cheney is facing a tough reelection test and Kinzinger plans on retiring after his current term.

The rest of the members are Democrats.

Trump’s comments came after Trump clarified his endorsement of McCarthy, saying it was for the congressman’s reelection bid.

“I endorsed him in his race. But I haven’t endorsed anybody for speaker,” Trump said on Root’s show.

Republicans believe they'll flip the lower chamber in the upcoming midterm elections, which would enable McCarthy to try for the speaker’s position.

It’s unclear what other Republicans could try for speaker.

Pelosi has held the position since 2019.

Former Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the last Republican speaker, has retired, as has Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the speaker before Ryan.

McCarthy and Trump’s relationship have been tested in recent months, with audio recordings emerging that showed the minority leader disparaged Trump in phone calls after the Capitol breach.

Trump said in April that the relationship was not damaged.

“I think it’s all a big compliment, frankly,” Trump said at the time. “They realized they were wrong and supported me.”