Then-President Donald Trump (R-Texas) shakes hands with Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) to greet him after arriving at Louisiana International Airport on Jan. 14, 2019.
U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) met with former President Trump (R-Texas) in Florida last week. Scalise said he noted in the meeting that Trump still cares deeply about America.
“He still cares very much about this country, the direction our country is going.” Scalise said, “but this conversation was more about where he is now, and what he intends to do, and how his Family is doing.”
Scalise’s office later confirmed to The Epoch Times that Trump met with Scalise on Feb. 16 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.
Scalise revealed the details of their meeting in an interview this Sunday (Feb. 21).
Speaking on ABC, Scalise said he was fundraising across Florida when he was contacted by Trump and that he soon traveled to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump.
“I hadn’t seen him since he left the White House. And it was actually nice to catch up with him. I noticed he was a lot more relaxed than he was in his four years in the White House.” Scalise said.
When the moderator then asked him if he thought that Trump was responsible for the Jan. 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol, Scalise noted that Trump condemned the violation.
“And I think everybody should unambiguously condemn what happened, not only on Jan. 6, but also (BLM, Black Lives Matter Gui) burning down the city, shooting police officers and beating people up in the streets last summer.” Scalise said.
“You see the left condemning Jan. 6, and so do we. But they didn’t condemn what happened in the summer. So let’s say across the board that anyone, anyone who resorts to violence to settle a political dispute, there’s no place in America (that) allows it, and it should be clearly controversial.”
On Jan. 13, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for a second Time over allegations of sedition.
On Jan. 25, the House sent a writ of impeachment to the Senate, thus initiating the Senate’s proceedings.
On Feb. 13, the Senate impeachment trial reached its fifth day and finally found Trump not guilty by a vote of 57 to 43.
Trump’s meeting with Scalise was seen as another sign that Trump retains influence with House Republicans, and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had previously traveled to Florida to meet with former President Trump.
However, Republican leaders in the Senate have been denouncing Trump in recent days.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took to the floor to accuse Trump of responsibility for the Capitol breach after voting to acquit the former president this month.
In response, Trump responded in a strongly worded statement that third-rate leaders cannot be allowed to determine the future of the United States at this important time, and that the Republican Party will not win with McConnell at the helm; and vowed to support a primary candidate who would promote his “America First” agenda.
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