President Biden spoke by phone with Kevin McCarthy on Saturday to congratulate the newly elected House Speaker who clinched his party’s vote after 15 ballots that spanned days of tense negotiations with a group of ultra-conservative holdouts.
Mr. Biden placed the call from Delaware where he is spending the weekend before making his first trip to the U.S. southern border as president on Sunday.
The White House provided no further details about the call.
In a statement after Mr. McCarthy won the speakership in a 216 to 212 just passed midnight on Saturday, Mr. Biden congratulated the California Republican and offered his pledge to reach across the aisle.