Trump says GOP must be 'strong and united' going into 2024, party has power but doesn't use it

Former President Donald Trump on Friday called on fellow Republicans to unite for the 2024 elections and beyond and tap into what he considers the party's underutilized political power.

"Two words: 'strong and united,'" Trump told Just the News' John Solomon in the Association of Mature American Citizens 2024 presidential election town hall series.

"We need stronger people. We have such power and we don't use it. But the Democrats use that power. And they use it very horribly into weaponization and things that nobody has ever seen outside of a banana republic."

The former president was referring to what he and others consider the politicization of federal agencies such as the FBI and Justice Department and a so-called "two-tiered system of justice" in which certain people are prosecuted, and others are not, depending on their religious or political affiliation. 

Next week, the House is expected to elect a new speaker after California GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted Wednesday from the post by eight ultra-right Republican House members in a full floor vote.

Trump late Thursday threw his support behind House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican and one of the chamber's most conservative members. 

"Jim is a fantastic person," Trump said. "He's got a tremendous career. He's always been tough at what he did."

Trump's call for unity follows that of many others in the GOP who say McCarthy's contentious path to the speakership in January and his ouster has torn apart the party.

The former president also said next week's House vote for a new speaker will be interesting, considering Jordan has competition for the top House post.

He and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) each announced their candidacies for the position on Wednesday.

"I think he'll do well," Trump said about Jordan. "I hope he does well. He's got competition as you understand, and they're friendly with me too .... very nice people and good people. We'll see what happens."