Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) reportedly attempted to put Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) on a live telephone conversation with former president Donald J. Trump Friday night, just moments after Rosendale voted against Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
McCarthy's defeat on the 14th ballot was decided only by a half-vote which added tensions in the 120th House of Representatives that had been deciding on the speaker since Tuesday. Al Drago, a D.C.-based photographer, tweeted a photo of a “heated exchange” between the two lawmakers following the vote of Rosendale for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ).
Greene has frequently been a supporter of McCarthy and is seen on her iPhone during a live phone call with a person whose name is “DT.” Drago, who identified the person as the former president, pointed out that Rosendale was among the 21 former McCarthy opponents.
Heather Caygle, the managing editor of Punchbowl News, tweeted that members had informed her about the “heated exchange.”
“MTG was telling Rosendale she had Trump on her phone and he needed to talk to the former president right then,” she wrote. “Rosendale shouted repeatedly, ‘don't you ever do me like that!'”
The Georgia representative made the call on Twitter and tweeted about it, calling this “the perfect phone call.”
Based on Caygle, Greene, and Rosendale's exchange occurred in the midst of another tense moment. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) was fighting Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) after Gaetz voted present during the 14th round when, suddenly Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) went after Rogers and tried to grab his face.
In the end, the ruckus settled and the 15th vote proved to be a success as McCarthy was elected speaker. Many Republican lawmakers highlighted the significance of Trump's contribution to the resolution of the speaker's race, Breitbart News reported.
