Editing Newt Gingrich (section)

=== Political activity ===
Between 2005 and 2007, Gingrich expressed interest in running for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Gingrich May Run in 2008 if No Frontrunner Emerges |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901444.html |first=Juliet |last=Eilperin |date=June 10, 2006 |access-date=August 25, 2006 |archive-date=September 24, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924090528/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901444.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 13, 2005, Gingrich suggested he was considering a run for president, saying, "There are circumstances where I will run", elaborating that those circumstances would be if no other candidate champions some of the platform ideas he advocates. On September 28, 2007, Gingrich announced that if his supporters pledged $30&nbsp;million to his campaign by October 21, he would seek the nomination.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bai |first1=Matt |title=Newt. Again. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 25, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/magazine/01republicans-t.html |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225013459/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/magazine/01republicans-t.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, insisting that he had "pretty strongly" considered running,<ref>{{cite web |title=The rise of Newt-world |newspaper=[[Politico (newspaper)|politico]] |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16717.html |last=Libit |first=Daniel |date=December 21, 2008 |access-date=December 21, 2008 |archive-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222135444/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16717.html |url-status=live }}</ref> on September 29 spokesman Rick Tyler said that Gingrich would not seek the presidency in 2008 because he could not continue to serve as chairman of American Solutions if he did so.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Gingrich says he won't run for president |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003913741_nonewt30.html |last=Shear |first=Michael D. |date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=September 30, 2007 |archive-date=October 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004000818/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003913741_nonewt30.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Citing campaign finance law restrictions (the [[McCain-Feingold]] campaign law would have forced him to leave his American Solutions political organization if he declared his candidacy), Gingrich said, "I wasn't prepared to abandon American Solutions, even to explore whether a campaign was realistic."<ref>{{cite news |title=Gingrich rules out presidential run |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2923578620070930 |date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=September 30, 2007 |archive-date=November 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122132243/https://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2923578620070930 |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the [[2009 New York's 23rd congressional district special election|2009 special election]] in [[New York's 23rd congressional district]], Gingrich endorsed moderate Republican candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]], rather than [[Conservative Party of New York|Conservative Party]] candidate [[Doug Hoffman]], who had been endorsed by several nationally prominent Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/newt_gingrich_endorses_dede_sc.html|title=Newt Gingrich endorses Dede Scozzafava in NY-23 House race|publisher=syracuse.com|access-date=September 5, 2010|date=October 16, 2009|archive-date=February 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201200612/http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/newt_gingrich_endorses_dede_sc.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was heavily criticized for this endorsement, with conservatives questioning his candidacy for president in 2012<ref>{{cite web |last=Malkin |first=Michelle |url=http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/26/newt-for-2012-no-thanks |title=Newt for 2012? No, thanks |author-link=Michelle Malkin |work=MichelleMalkin.com |date=October 26, 2009 |access-date=September 5, 2010 |archive-date=August 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828153356/http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/26/newt-for-2012-no-thanks/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2009/10/newt-in-2012-yeah-but-which-party-dude.html |title=Newt In 2012: Yeah, But Which Party, Dude? |publisher=Riehl World View |date=October 26, 2009 |access-date=September 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421135851/http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2009/10/newt-in-2012-yeah-but-which-party-dude.html |archive-date=April 21, 2010}}</ref> and even comparing him to [[Benedict Arnold]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://912candidates.org/blog/2009/11/08/6-weeks-notice |title=6 Weeks Notice |publisher=912candidates.org |access-date=September 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811041732/http://912candidates.org/blog/2009/11/08/6-weeks-notice/ |archive-date=August 11, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Prior to President [[Donald Trump]] leaving office in January 2021, Trump appointed Gingrich to the [[Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee]] of the Pentagon as part of a series of shakeups where prominent Trump loyalists replaced former members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/14/newt-gingrich-pentagon-advisory-board-445185|title=Gingrich among Trump loyalists named to Pentagon advisory board|first=Connor|last=O'Brien|work=[[Politico]]|date=December 14, 2020|access-date=March 28, 2021}}</ref> In February 2021, [[Joe Biden|Biden]]-appointed Defense Secretary [[Lloyd Austin]] dismissed all appointments to the committee made by Trump, including Gingrich.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pentagon-clears-out-advisory-boards-citing-concerns-over-last-minute-n1256550|title=Pentagon clears out advisory boards, citing concerns over last-minute Trump picks|first=Dan|last=De Luce|publisher=[[NBC News]]|date=February 2, 2021|access-date=March 28, 2021}}</ref>