Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., interrupted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's CNN interview during Tuesday's Republican National Convention.
"What you're seeing here is a more united Republican Party," said the former California representative to anchor Kaitlan Collins. Then Gaetz, his political rival, jumped into the frame.
In the clip, McCarthy was discussing his ouster as speaker when Gaetz leaned in.
"What night are you speaking? Are you speaking tonight?" Gaetz mocked.
"The person who raised the issue, he’s got an ethics complaint about paying, sleeping with a 17-year-old," McCarthy continued, ignoring Gaetz’s taunts.
"If you took that stage you would get booed off of it," Gaetz added.
McCarthy addressed the confrontation on NBC News Now. "I think it shows exactly who Matt Gaetz is," he said.
"He had an ethics complaint four years ago. He paid an underage girl," McCarthy explained. "He tried to leverage me to stop the ethics investigation. That's illegal. I kept government open, and he tried to remove me for it."
"Everybody has different people in their party. Unfortunately, Matt happens to be here. He probably shouldn't be on the streets," he added.
Gaetz and McCarthy have a tumultuous relationship. Gaetz led to McCarthy's ouster as speaker, questioning his conservative commitment.
In October, Gaetz filed a "motion to vacate," accusing McCarthy of poor leadership and abandoning conservative ideals. The House voted 216-210 in favor, marking the first ouster of a sitting speaker.
"We're concerned about the conservative agenda's future in the House," Gaetz said. "The agenda was being paralyzed by Speaker McCarthy."
McCarthy called the coalition that joined Democrats in removing him "The Gaetz Eight."
"Matt Gaetz has broken the Republican majority. He's created ‘Lord of the Flies,’" McCarthy said.
Two months after his ouster, McCarthy announced his resignation by December 2023.
In June, the House Ethics Committee delved further into accusations against Gaetz. They investigated sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, improper gifts, and obstruction of investigations.
Gaetz has been under investigation by the House for years. The DOJ looked into reports in 2021 of his relationship with an underage girl but declined to charge him in 2023.