Just two weeks ago, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy declared Donald Trump culpable in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
By Thursday, he was seeking his political support. A private meeting between the two men at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort signaled a remarkable turnaround in the former president's stature among elected Republicans.
In the immediate aftermath of the insurrection Trump inspired, the idea that he would enjoy any sort of kingmaker role in his post-presidency seemed highly unlikely.
But following an initial wave of condemnation, Republicans appear to be warming toward Trump, fully aware that his supporters are poised to punish anyone who displays disloyalty.