A bitter conflict has raged for months between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Matt Gaetz, with Gaetz opposing McCarthy on every front. The root cause of their feud has now come to light: McCarthy’s alleged interference that thwarted Gaetz’s attempt to engage romantically with then-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson.
In a recent exploration of the roots of the animosity between McCarthy and Gaetz by Politico’s Playbook, an anecdote from Cassidy Hutchinson’s book is highlighted as a potential source of tension. Hutchinson recounts an incident during a 2019 Republican retreat at Camp David, where Gaetz mistakenly accompanied her to McCarthy’s cabin, thinking it was hers.
The cabin, where McCarthy had invited several Republicans, including Hutchinson, for drinks, led to an awkward situation.
Gaetz, realizing his mistake, claimed to be “lost” and asked Hutchinson to go back to his own cabin. McCarthy intervened, shutting the door in Gaetz’s face and telling him, “Get a life, Matt,” according to Hutchinson.
Gaetz furiously denies this version of events.
Hutchinson, in turn, denies any rumors of dating Gaetz, asserting, “I have much higher standards in men.”
This revelation underscores the core source of Gaetz’s frustration and intensifies the ongoing political discord within the Republican Party.
