McCarthy Mentioned Trump Acknowledged ‘Some Duty’ for Jan. 6

Consultant Kevin McCarthy, the Home Republican chief, informed G.O.P. lawmakers within the days after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol that former President Donald J. Trump acknowledged he bore “some accountability” for what occurred that day, new audio revealed on Friday.

The audio obtained by The New York Instances is a part of a sequence of revelations from a brand new guide about Republican leaders’ personal condemnations of Mr. Trump within the days after his supporters stormed the Capitol.

Mr. McCarthy’s assertion could be the clearest indication that Mr. Trump might have admitted some measure of culpability for the lethal mob. The revelation comes as congressional investigators scour for proof of Mr. Trump’s involvement in his supporters’ failed try to dam the official certification of his loss within the 2020 election.

“Let me be very clear to all of you, and I’ve been very clear to the president: he bears tasks for his phrases and actions,” Mr. McCarthy informed Home Republicans on a Jan. 11 convention name “No if, ands or buts.”

“I requested him personally at this time, does he maintain accountability for what occurred?” Mr. McCarthy mentioned. “Does he really feel dangerous about what occurred? He informed me he does have some accountability for what occurred and he’d must acknowledge that.”

Mr. Trump didn’t reply to a request for remark.

The recording of the assembly was obtained in reporting for the upcoming guide “This Will Not Cross: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America’s Future.” The guide, which particulars a number of personal conversations between Republicans speaking derisively concerning the former president, has rapidly change into a humiliation and a possible political drawback for Mr. McCarthy.

On Thursday, The Instances reported that Mr. McCarthy informed his management workforce that he deliberate to induce Mr. Trump to give up after the Jan. 6 assault. Mr. McCarthy mentioned he would inform Mr. Trump of the upcoming impeachment decision: “I feel this can go, and it could be my advice you must resign.”

Mr. McCarthy referred to as the report “completely false and mistaken,” however the declare was swiftly disproved when The Instances printed a recording of the decision hours later.

The publicity of Mr. McCarthy’s dishonesty comes at a pivotal second within the 57-year-old Republican chief’s long-plotted rise to energy. The Californian is extensively anticipated to change into the subsequent speaker of the Home of Representatives if Republicans take management of the chamber after the midterm elections, an consequence seen as extremely probably by strategists in each events. However he has lengthy confronted questions on his capability to handle the unruly, ideologically fractious flock of lawmakers who make up the Home Republican convention.

These lawmakers have been seeking to Mr. Trump on Friday to information their response. Mr. Trump and Mr. McCarthy spoke on Thursday night, a conversation first reported by The Washington Submit, and Mr. Trump remained largely quiet on Friday.

In personal, Mr. Trump loved watching Mr. McCarthy’s misfortune, in keeping with 4 individuals who had spoken to him concerning the episode however requested for anonymity to debate personal conversations. In his view, the truth that Mr. McCarthy by no means adopted via on his robust discuss and as a substitute sought to make amends solely confirmed the grip Mr. Trump nonetheless holds on his get together, they mentioned.

The as soon as, and maybe future, Republican standard-bearer has typically been privately dismissive of Mr. McCarthy. And it might serve Mr. Trump’s functions if Mr. McCarthy continues as Home Republican chief — however as a weakened determine much more carefully depending on Mr. Trump’s approval.

Mr. McCarthy is already a fragile determine atop the Home Republican convention, embraced by the get together’s numerous factions extra out of comfort than fierce loyalty. Nonetheless, few lawmakers used the second to criticize him on Friday.

“He has huge help from the convention,” mentioned Consultant Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, a former member of the Home G.O.P. management.

Many lawmakers, lobbyists and aides in Washington, nevertheless, have been stunned at Mr. McCarthy’s carelessness, disapproving of, if not precisely disbelieving, the notion that he would flatly deny feedback he had made in group settings.

Even his allies have been uneasy about how breezily Mr. McCarthy disregarded the reality.

“You both say you don’t recall the dialog or that you just don’t talk about personal conversations and are dissatisfied in those that leak them,” Consultant Tom Cole of Oklahoma mentioned.

Mr. McCarthy made the recorded remarks within the chaotic days after the assault, as he plotted a path ahead with this workforce and sought to calm Republicans panicked concerning the potential political fallout.

“I do know this isn’t enjoyable, I do know this isn’t nice. … I don’t wish to rush issues, I would like everyone to have all the data wanted,” Mr. McCarthy mentioned, in keeping with an audio clip of a Jan. 10 assembly with a small group of lawmakers. “I’ve had it with this man. What he did is unacceptable. No person can defend that, and no person ought to defend it.”

The subsequent day, chatting with a bigger group, Mr. McCarthy appeared to be making an attempt to reassure Republicans that Mr. Trump understood the gravity of the second and would possibly emerge conciliatory. It’s troublesome to gauge the accuracy of Mr. McCarthy’s declare about Mr. Trump.

Within the 15 months for the reason that assault, Mr. Trump has largely sought to deflect criticism when requested publicly about his position. Earlier this month, he informed The Washington Post that Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, have been responsible for failing to safe the Capitol.

In that interview, Mr. Trump disclosed that he had wished to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“Secret Service mentioned I couldn’t go,” he mentioned. “I might have gone there in a minute.”

This week was not the primary time Mr. McCarthy had not been totally truthful about his personal remarks.

Earlier this 12 months, he was asked in a news conference concerning the name with Home Republicans after the assault. He sidestepped the question: “I’m unsure what name you’re speaking about.”

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.