Speaker McCarthy predicts Trump will be the GOP 2024 nominee, says DeSantis is not at the same level

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) predicted Sunday that former President Donald Trump will be the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.

"I think he will be the nominee," McCarthy said during an exclusive interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News. "And the thing is, President Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016 and 2020. There's a reason why they saw the policies of what he was able to do with America: putting America first and making our economy stronger."

As of now, Trump is currently leading in all of the GOP presidential primary polls with Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis in second place in most of them.

Later in the interview, Bartiromo said that DeSantis seemed to be working with McCarthy's colleagues on Capitol Hill who are pushing for a government shutdown. 

If Congress doesn't pass spending legislation by Sept. 30, the U.S. government will shut down, according to reports.

"I don't think that would work anywhere," McCarthy answered. "A shutdown would only give strength to the Democrats who would give the power to Biden.......I actually want to achieve something."

McCarthy later said that DeSantis is not at "the same level" as Trump and that the former president is currently beating Biden in the polls. 

"I served with Ron DeSantis," he said. "He's not at the same level as President Trump by any shape or form. He would not have gotten elected without President Trump's endorsement. And so I believe our best step forward is to pass our appropriation bills so we're stronger. Take the wokeism out and secure our border to make America stronger."

Charlotte Hazard is a reporter at Just the News. Follow her on Twitter.