Kevin McCarthy's Surprise Capitol Hill Visit and Praise for Successor

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a surprise visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, offering mild praise for his successor, Speaker Mike Johnson, while taking an indirect shot at Johnson's bipartisan vote last month.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., made a brief appearance on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, offering mild praise for his successor, Speaker Mike Johnson, while taking an indirect shot at Johnson's recent bipartisan vote.

McCarthy told Fox News Digital he was in Washington for Monday night's swearing-in of his former aide, newly minted Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., who won a tight race to replace him. He also attended a press conference commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

When asked by another reporter whether he thought Johnson was doing a "good job," McCarthy said, "Johnson is working as hard as he can."

McCarthy's comments come after Johnson survived an ouster threat last month led by two of McCarthy's top allies in the House, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Dozens of Democrats joined Republicans to table Greene's motion to vacate, which averted a House-wide vote on Johnson's removal.

McCarthy appeared to take an indirect shot at Johnson over the bipartisan vote during an appearance on Politico's "Power Play" podcast. "I couldn’t live with myself if I’d done a deal with Democrats," McCarthy had said. "If you can’t sustain being speaker by your own majority, should you sustain it? No."

Johnson was elected via a unanimous House GOP vote three weeks after McCarthy became the first House speaker in history to be ousted in the middle of a congressional term last October. McCarthy left Congress at the end of 2023.

Johnson's election came after days of chaos and turmoil that paralyzed Congress. He has since faced criticism from some Republicans who believe he is not conservative enough or not enough of a natural leader for the GOP majority.

McCarthy's visit to Capitol Hill and his comments about Johnson highlight the ongoing tensions within the House GOP. McCarthy remains a popular figure among many Republicans, and his presence on Capitol Hill could embolden those who are unhappy with Johnson's leadership.

It remains to be seen whether McCarthy will play a more active role in House Republican affairs or whether he will fade into the background. However, his surprise visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday suggests that he is still interested in influencing the direction of the GOP.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Johnson's office for comment.