McCarthy's support among Republicans appears unaffected by leaked audio about Trump resigning

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy's support among Republican House members appears unaffected by leaked audio of the California Republican saying he planned to urge former President Trump to resign following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

During a House Republican conference call after the riot, McCarthy can be heard discussing the possibility of impeachment against Trump in the House and Senate, according to the audio recording made public last Thursday evening.

Just hours before the recording was unveiled on MSNBC on Thursday, McCarthy had denied that he suggested calling for Trump's resignation after the tumultuous events of Jan. 6.

"I think this [impeachment] will pass, and that would be my recommendation: You should resign. That would be my take, but I don't think he would take it, but I don't know," McCarthy said during the recorded conversation released by the authors of the forthcoming book "This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future."

After statements from the recording were reported by the New York Times, McCarthy said in a public statement that the quotes were "totally false and wrong."

McCarthy addressed the release of the audio recording on Monday when he was asked about the issue during his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.

McCarthy explained that in his statement reacting to the New York Times' reporting he was rejecting the premise that he asked Trump directly to resign after Jan. 6.

"The reporter came to me the night before he released the book, and my understanding was he was saying I asked President Trump to resign," McCarthy said on Monday. "No, I never did, and that's what I was answering."

McCarthy said if the media asks any of his members whether he ever asked Trump to resign, the answer would be no.

After listening to the released audio, former President Trump said that his relationship with McCarthy isn't damaged.

"He made a call," Trump said. "I heard the call. I didn't like the call. But almost immediately, as you know, because he came here and we took a picture right there — you know, the support was very strong." 

Trump addressed the criticism that McCarthy made of Trump during the recorded call.

"I think it's all a big compliment, frankly," Trump said. "They realized they were wrong and supported me."

Since McCarthy's denial and the release of the recording, no prominent Republicans have signaled that they no longer have confidence in his leadership of the House GOP.

Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, a Trump critic who was a member of House GOP leadership at the time, was reportedly part of the call. She said on Friday that said she did not leak the recording. Cheney and Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger went on to serve as the only Republicans on the House Select Committee on Jan. 6. Kinzinger criticized McCarthy after the recording was released. 

“Leadership isn’t supposed to be about power as an end.  It’s power for good.  Unfortunately this is not @GOPLeader,” Kinzinger, who has been critical of McCarthy in the past, wrote on Twitter.