McCarthy Aide’s Tell-All Book Recounts Trump’s Expletive-Filled Threats to G.O.P.

Friday, June 19, 2026

Representative Kevin McCarthy enlisted former President Donald Trump’s help to overcome Republican opposition during a protracted 15-ballot struggle to become House Speaker in January 2023. The forthcoming memoir by McCarthy’s aide reveals Trump’s aggressive pressure on holdout Republicans, highlighting internal GOP divisions that eventually led to McCarthy’s removal less than a year later.

On the night of January 6, 2023, Representative Kevin McCarthy, struggling to secure the House speakership after facing 13 consecutive rejections from his Republican colleagues, reached out to former President Donald J. Trump for assistance. According to a forthcoming book by McCarthy aide John Leganski, Trump responded with a barrage of expletives and threats aimed at Republican holdouts, underscoring his continued influence within the GOP.

During a phone conversation, McCarthy told Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, one of several Republicans withholding support, that he was “merging in the president.” Following that, Trump reportedly berated Biggs, demanding to know why he was resisting McCarthy’s bid. Trump’s explicit message was clear: he would not support Biggs unless Biggs backed McCarthy. The former president then called Representative Eli Crane, another Arizona Republican and the only first-term member refusing to support McCarthy, asserting he had “saved” Crane’s congressional campaign and threatening to find a challenger to oppose him.

These intense phone calls are detailed in “Glory, Grief and the Gavel,” authored by Leganski, who managed floor operations for McCarthy during the speaker election. The book offers a detailed insider’s perspective on the high-stakes and fractious 15-ballot process that ended with McCarthy’s narrow victory, a moment that revealed the underlying divisions within the Republican caucus.

Leganski, who listened to Trump's calls on speakerphone, described the interactions as overwhelming and intimidating for the holdouts, many of whom struggled to respond amid Trump’s shouting. The hostile outreach reportedly led some Republicans, including Representatives Matt Rosendale of Montana and Bob Good of Virginia, to avoid calls from McCarthy’s number once they realized they were being connected to Trump.

After weeks of political brinkmanship, the holdouts shifted their position and voted “present” on the 15th ballot, enabling McCarthy to be elected speaker with 216 votes. However, the uneasy alliance proved short-lived. Only 269 days later, McCarthy was removed from the speakership in a vote largely driven by the same group of dissenters, exacerbating instability in the House under Republican control.

Leganski, who began his Capitol Hill career as an intern for McCarthy and became the youngest floor director in the House at age 25, said he wrote the book to provide a resource for future congressional staffers navigating unprecedented challenges. “There was literally no one alive who was around the last time a multiballot speaker’s election happened who we could consult with,” he said. “I hope all the current and future staffers out there are able to take this and learn from our experiences.”

The memoir, published by Regnery, is set to be released next week, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at McCarthy’s tumultuous speakership and Trump’s ongoing role in shaping Republican leadership dynamics.