Trump considering visiting the Capitol amid race for speaker, GOP sources say

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump is considering a visit to the U.S. Capitol early next week, as divided House Republicans consider who should be the next speaker, two GOP lawmakers and two Trump allies confirmed to NBC News.

The former president, who has not set foot on Capitol grounds since prior to the Jan. 6 riot, is considering making an appearance in an effort to “unify the party,” according to one Republican lawmaker who discussed the possibility with a member of Trump’s inner circle Thursday morning.

The news site, The Messenger, first reported the possibility of Trump's visit.

While a small handful of Republican lawmakers have suggested Trump himself should serve as the next speaker, the former president said Wednesday his focus is on reclaiming the White House, and the two Republican lawmakers said they don’t believe he’s seriously interested in the position.

In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump wrote he “will do whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House selection process, short term, until the final selection of a GREAT REPUBLICAN SPEAKER is made.”

But Trump also reposted GOP Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's post that he should be the next speaker.

Steve Bannon, who served as a top adviser to Trump in the White House and runs the "War Room" podcast, which is popular with Trump supporters, said he believes the former president will speak to the Republican conference Tuesday at the Capitol. He said Republicans should choose Trump as an interim speaker for 100 days.

“He’s the only one now that can unite the party when it needs to be united for the next 100 days,” Bannon said in a telephone interview with NBC News. “He can come and be that bridge to the conference actually coming out and electing a speaker that then can complete the 118th congress.”

It's not clear that there is a way for that to happen without Trump winning a tough-to-achieve majority in the full House.

Democrats, who voted to impeach Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the deadly Jan. 6 attack, had strong reactions to news of Trump's possible visit.

"Criminals tend to return to the scene of the crime," Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., wrote on X.

"We will need extra security — not for him, but for members and staff and the personnel at the Capitol," said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who was among those trapped in the House chamber during the Capitol attack.

“His presence, as we have learned only too well is a threat to norms, order, and he has become increasingly violent in his rhetoric recently, which is why we need security for everyone else.”

So far, two big-name GOP lawmakers are vying to succeed Kevin McCarthy, who on Tuesday made history as the first speaker ever to be ousted by a formal vote of the House.

The U.S. Constitution does not require that a House speaker be a member of the House, but no non-member has ever been elected to the post. In protest, House members have cast votes for individuals who are not lawmakers before, but no serious effort has ever been undertaken by someone who isn’t a representative.

What Trump would hope to accomplish by visiting the Capitol amid an intraparty fight is an open question. While some sources cautioned that Trump could still opt not to go, they agree it’s still a real possibility.

The No. 2 leader, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., officially launched his campaign for speaker on Wednesday, as did Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a key Trump ally on Capitol Hill.

Jordan endorsed Trump for president in March. Scalise has not endorsed anyone in the GOP presidential primary.

During an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Jordan said he has spoken to Trump about his speaker's bid but declined to get into details.

"I had a great conversation with the president," Jordan said.