Mr. Trump had been livid with Mr. McCarthy and, according to people close to the former president, privately referred to him with a vulgarity commonly used to describe a coward after his speech during the House debate on impeaching the former president for “incitement of insurrection.”

“The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters,” Mr. McCarthy said in the speech, which he delivered before joining a vast majority of Republicans in opposing the charge. “He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump: accept his share of responsibility, quell the brewing unrest and ensure President-elect Biden is able to successfully begin his term.”

Mr. Trump did none of those things, yet Mr. McCarthy has since tempered his criticism. He told reporters last week that he did not believe Mr. Trump had “provoked” the mob. In an interview that aired on Sunday, he said that while the former president bore “some responsibility” for the storming of the Capitol, “I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility.”