What if former President Donald Trump became Speaker of the House? After the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), many on the right have floated the idea. In fact, the former president indicated he might be willing to wield the gavel temporarily.

As of this writing, it appears Trump has backed away from the idea and thrown his support behind Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). However, if American politics has taught us anything over the past decade, it’s that anything can happen.

Earlier this week, Trump publicly flirted with the idea of becoming a Speaker candidate.

The dust has still not settled after Tuesday's historic vote to oust Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, and things just keep getting more and more interesting. On that day I floated the not-really-serious idea of former President Trump's possible election as Speaker.

Well, it turns out that President Trump has had the same idea.

Former President Donald Trump is considering a visit to the Capitol next week where he is open to pitching himself as a speaker candidate, according to a Republican familiar with internal discussions.

If it happens, Trump would come speak to the House GOP sometime before lawmakers' internal speaker election, which is set to happen on Wednesday, that person said. A final decision hasn’t yet been made. The full GOP will meet Tuesday for an internal “candidate forum.”

It’s not clear if Trump — the frontrunner in the 2024 presidential primary — would actually run for speaker. Winning would require near-unanimity from the House GOP, a difficult hurdle for the controversial former president. One of his closest Hill allies, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, is already in the race.

One is not required to already be a member of Congress to serve as Speaker of the House. So, hypothetically, if Republican lawmakers voted for the former president, it could happen.

If Trump did become House Speaker, the entertainment value alone might be worth it. But aside from the many laughs folks on the right would have at seeing Democrats’ heads explode as the party goes through the inevitable meltdown, such a development could have far-reaching ramifications.

As the figurehead of the GOP, Trump’s presence in the Speaker’s chair could serve to galvanize Republican lawmakers and unify them in pursuit of a conservative agenda. Indeed, the former president already plans to travel to D.C. next week to get involved in the selection process.

Trump’s tenure as Speaker could easily focus the spotlight onto the lower chamber and be used to highlight the many failures Democrats have had when it comes to addressing the issues Americans care most about. Indeed, he could use his already considerable bully pulpit to highlight how the left is obstructing legislation that would help to solve problems Americans are facing. Moreover, he might just be able to use the “Art of the Deal” to broker deals between Republicans and Democrats if he knows how to use the carrot and stick wisely.

However, it’s worth noting that this prospect is not without potential pitfalls. The former president’s larger-than-life persona and the vortex of controversies that follow him will loom large over the House. With four indictments facing him, it is almost certain that his presence would be fraught with controversy and debate to the point that it would distract from important proceedings and developments.

The prospect of Trump being Speaker is rife with paradoxes. On one level, his energy could invigorate Congressional proceedings and spur them to action. On the other hand, he could also become more of a distraction than a driving force. The reality is that it could go either way.