Kevin McCarthy Waffles on Whether Trump is the ‘Strongest’ 2024 GOP Candidate in CNBC Interview

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy struggled to say whether he thinks its a good idea for the Republican Party to nominate Donald Trump for president again.

McCarthy spoke with CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Tuesday for a wide-ranging policy discussion, which evenetually turned to the political repercussions of Trump’s indictments. Trump was just indicted on 37 counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents, which follows his indictment in New York for allegedly falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment.

Kernen raised Trump’s indictments to McCarthy in order to ask “if he wins the primary, do you think he can win the general? And is it good for the Republican Party if Donald Trump is the nominee?”

McCarthy answered by dancing around the second question, all while he couldn’t definitively say Trump is the “strongest” person the GOP could nominate to challenge President Joe Biden.

MCCARTHY: Can Trump beat Biden? Yeah, he can beat Biden.

KERNEN: Is that a good thing for the Republican Party if Donald Trump is —

MCCARTHY: Look, the Republicans get to select their nominee. I think if you want to go sheer policy for policy, it’s not good for Republicans, it’s good for America. Trump’s policies are better straightforward than Biden policy — >>

KERNEN: It makes it complicated if he’s got all of these trials and all of this stuff overhanging.

MCCARTHY: It makes it complicated. It also helps him when —

KERNEN: But do you think he could win an election?

MCCARTHY: Can he win that election? Yeah, he can.

KERNEN: You think he can?

MCCARTHY: The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I don’t know that answer, but can anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden. Can Biden beat other people? Yes, Biden can beat them. It’s on any given day.

Watch above via CNBC.