House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called on President Biden to pick up on challenges “confronted” by his predecessor, now former President Donald Trump.
McCarthy, who has long supported Trump but blamed him in part for the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, said Biden must begin dealing with the pandemic and the consequences of enduring lockdowns, as well as China’s threats to America’s economy and security.
“President Donald Trump led our country in acknowledging and confronting these generational challenges,” the California Republican said in a statement Wednesday. “It would be wise to pick up that mantle and work towards common ground to make our country and her people stronger.”
McCarthy’s statement noted the extremely close margins in the House and Senate. House Democrats maintain a very slim majority, while the Senate is split evenly between Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris providing the one-vote majority for the Democrats.
“I believe we can unite and restore peace, prosperity, and safety,” McCarthy said. “Looking ahead, I know we will be tested. But I also know there will be many promising opportunities for us to seize. We are all Americans, and together we will succeed, as we have for more than 230 years.”
McCarthy sent fellow lawmakers a memo Wednesday morning highlighting the Trump administration’s successes. Ten Republicans voted last week to impeach Trump for citing an insurrection ahead of the attack on the Capitol.
