McCarthy dares Republican hard-liners to try to oust him in closed-door meeting

During a closed-door meeting with his conference, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday dared Republican hard-liners to try to oust him as speaker, according to multiple sources in the room.

A defiant McCarthy said he's not afraid of a motion to vacate, sources said, telling his colleagues: "Move the f------ motion." Some in the room described McCarthy as visibly irritated.

Tensions between McCarthy and the House Freedom Caucus are at a high level amid a spending showdown on Capitol Hill.

McCarthy on Thursday warned Republicans they would lose the shutdown fight if they don’t start passing bills soon, according to sources. He said the House will stay in session if the government is not funded.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and members of the House Freedom Caucus are opposed to a continuing resolution to keep the government open after the Sept. 30 deadline that doesn't include their policy demands, such as language on border security and "weaponization of the DOJ."

Gaetz has repeatedly threatened that he could bring the motion to vacate to the floor any day now despite McCarthy ordering an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden -- a move widely seen as an attempt to appease the far-right flank.

"I rise today to serve notice," Gaetz said in a floor speech on Tuesday shortly after McCarthy's impeachment announcement. "Mr. Speaker, you are out of compliance with the agreement that allowed you to assume this role. The path forward for the House of Representatives is to either bring you in to immediate total compliance or remove you, pursuant to a motion to vacate the chair."

The motion to vacate was a key element of McCarthy's deal with the House Freedom Caucus, a group of 35 or so conservative hard-liners, to become speaker of the House. Under their agreement, a rule change was made to allow just a single member to launch a vote on his removal. If it did come to the full floor, it would need just a simple majority to pass.

McCarthy, emerging from the closed-door meeting, told reporters he was "frustrated with some people in the conference."

McCarthy also elaborated on his message to members threatening to bring a motion to vacate.

"I don't walk away from a battle," he told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott. "I knew changing Washington would not be easy."

"I'm going to continue to just to focus on what's the right thing to do for the American people," he added. "And you know what, if it takes a fight, we'll have a fight."

-ABC's Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.

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