McCarthy suggests Gaetz was ‘on something’ after interview disruption: ‘Hope he gets the help that he needs’

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy suggested in a CNN interview Thursday that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was "on something" when the Florida politician interrupted his interview on Wednesday.

McCarthy also called Gaetz "unhinged" but hopes he "gets the help that he needs."

"He looks very unhinged," McCarthy said. "I mean, a lot of people have concerns about it. And I'm not sure if he was on something but I do hope he gets the help that he needs."

During his tense interaction with Gaetz Wednesday, the congressman could be heard telling McCarthy, "What night are you speaking? Are you speaking tonight?" People intervened between the two, and Gaetz then said, "Hey, if you took that stage, you would get booed off of it," he said. "You would get booed off the stage."

In response to McCarthy's quote that he was "on something," Gaetz told the Washington Examiner through a spokesperson that he "was on something — the stage." Gaetz spoke at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

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"He looks very unhinged. I mean, a lot of people have concerns about it. And I'm not sure if he was on something but I do hope he gets the help that he needs. But more importantly, I hope that young women get… pic.twitter.com/WeYSOQjevE

McCarthy continued the interview by blasting Gaetz for past allegations that he "paid underage women for sex and drugs." He also alleged Gaetz asked him to halt the House ethics investigation into his actions, which Gaetz has denied, and has previously said the investigation is one of the reasons Gaetz vacated McCarthy as speaker.

The former speaker wants the women Gaetz allegedly paid to "get the justice they deserve."

"But more importantly, I hope that young women get the justice they deserve when it comes to him," he said.

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The episode appears to be yet another chapter in McCarthy and Gaetz's feud that has dated back at least to the latter's ouster of the former speaker from his position. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) took McCarthy's job as speaker of the House.

The RNC enters its final day on Thursday with former President Donald Trump giving a speech after being nominated as the Republican Party's nominee.