The chair of the House of Representatives' Freedom Caucus appeared to hint at a potential deal to elect the next speaker in a tweet on Thursday that quoted the late President Ronald Reagan.
Republican Representative Scott Perry, who has so far opposed Representative Kevin McCarthy's bid, reiterated that he could not support "the status quo" as the GOP majority again failed to elect a speaker on Thursday.
McCarthy has fallen short of the necessary majority in 11 ballots across three days due to opposition from within his own party, including some members of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, the most conservative bloc within the House Republican Conference.
"We're at a Reagan moment—'trust but verify,'" Perry tweeted. "The devil is in the details, and we'll take our time to ensure it's right, not easy. One way or another, the status quo must go."
Former President Reagan often used the phrase "trust but verify" in reference to U.S. relations with the former Soviet Union, and the Reagan administration managed to conclude successful negotiations with the Soviet government under the late Mikhail Gorbachev.
Reagan used the phrase, a Russian maxim, on December 8, 1987, as the two nations signed a treaty agreeing to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenals.
It's not clear if Perry was referencing a deal that would see McCarthy become speaker while making concessions, or a potential pact with the GOP majority that would see McCarthy step aside.
Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert, a member of the Freedom Caucus, has called for McCarthy to end his bid for the speakership and said that former President Donald Trump "needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, sir, you do not have the votes, and it's time to withdraw."
However, the Freedom Caucus is not united in its opposition to McCarthy, and some of those opposed to the Californian are not members of the group.
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is a member, has consistently supported him McCarthy and said on Wednesday that she was "furious" with her colleagues who were continuing to oppose his election.
"You would think I would be the one in there asking for something, but I haven't done that. But I find out that it's my Freedom Caucus and my supposed friends that went and did that, and they asked nothing for me. Nothing. That's what I found out in there," Greene said.
Perry tweeted earlier on Thursday that nothing had yet been reached: "A deal is NOT done. When confidences are betrayed and leaks are directed, it's even more difficult to trust. Totally unsat. I will not yield to the status quo."
In the 11th ballot on Friday, McCarthy won 200 votes, Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries won all 212 votes from his party, Republican Representative Byron Donalds received 12 votes, seven Republicans voted for Representative Kevin Hern, one voted for former President Trump, one member voted "present", and one did not vote.
The House will reconvene at noon on Friday and proceed to a 12th ballot. However, more may be needed until a speaker is elected.
Newsweek has asked Scott Perry's office for comment.
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
