Berl Falbaum
As we approach the November 5 election, I thought it would be useful to provide a summary of what leading politicians think of Donald Trump.
Oh, I mean Republican officials; there is not a Democrat in sight in the list below. Call it a public service.
These are characterizations from people who worked for him and knew him best.
Reader discretion advised for Trumpites. To use the language of warnings on TV, you may find the comments disturbing.
Here goes.
--J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate: He was a “never-Trump guy,” “I never liked him,” and exclaimed, “My God, what an idiot.” He called Trump “America’s Hitler” and in 2016, Vance described Trump as “a terrible candidate,” “a cynical a_____ like Nixon” and “cultural heroin.”
--Trump’s Former Vice President Mike Pence: He cannot in “good conscience” endorse Trump.
--Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who challenged Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination: Nominating Trump for president would be like committing suicide for the country. Trump is “unhinged,” “unsafe to be president,” and “unqualified to be president of the United States.”
--House Speaker Mike Johnson in 2015: “The thing about Donald Trump is that he lacks the character and the moral center we desperately need again in the White House.”
--In 2017, Trump’s then Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson: He called his boss a “f_____ moron” in a Pentagon meeting.
--Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis: Trump was “the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
--Trump’s former chief of staff, Marine General John Kelly: Trump was the “most flawed person I ever met in my life. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else.”
--Florida Senator Marco Rubio in 2016: “You all have friends who are thinking about voting for Donald Trump [but] friends do not let friends vote for a con artist.”
--Texas Senator Ted Cruz: Trump is a “sniveling coward,” “utterly immoral,” a “serial philanderer” and “pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies.”
--South Carolina Senator Lindsey O. Graham: Trump is a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and he told Trump to “go to Hell.”
--Former Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2016: “...Donald Trump’s candidacy is a cancer on conservatism and it must be clearly diagnosed, excised, and discarded.”
--GOP Presidents George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush, did not endorse Trump in 2016, nor did Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the GOP nominee for president in 2012.
--Utah’s Senior Senator Mike Lee, after the Access Hollywood tape became public: “I wouldn’t hire that person, wouldn’t want to be associated with that person. And, I certainly don’t think I’d be comfortable hiring that person to be the leader of the free world.” Then, in another statement, he admitted, Trump “scares me to death.”
--North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was a presidential candidate briefly this year: He wouldn’t even do business with Trump.
--Kristi Noem, South Dakota governor, who was considered a possible Trump running mate: She said in 2016, “[Trump is] not my candidate.”
--New York Representative Elise Stefanik, also mentioned as a possible Trump running mate: Trump was a “whack job.”
--Kari Lake, unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in Arizona and current senatorial candidate: She depicted Trump, “as not my president.”
--South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace after the January 6 insurrection: “I hold him accountable for the events that transpired in the attack on our Capitol....”
--New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu: He repeatedly criticized Trump, stating Trump brought doom to the GOP and faced “numerous investigations and continues to peddle the conspiracy theory that he won the 2020 election.”
--Former White House Counsel Ty Cobb: “Trump is an empty soul. He doesn’t stand for anything but pure ambition. There is no principle at all.”
--Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy regarding Trump’s responsibility for the January 6 insurrection: “I’ve been very clear to the president --- he bears responsibilities for his words and actions. No ifs, ands or buts.”
--Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, discussing the January 6 insurrection with associates: “The Democrats are going to take care of the son of ____ for us,” according to a book, ‘This Will Not Pass.’ As to Trump’s guilt, McConnell has said, “If this isn’t impeachable, I don’t know what is.”
In addition, all of Trump’s highest-ranking officials in the White House told him he lost the 2020 election, and they testified to that fact at the January 6 Select Committee’s hearings. His attorney general, Bill Barr, called Trump’s claims of winning “bu______.”
In apparent agreement with Barr’s conclusion, Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, “accepted” Barr’s assessment that there was no evidence of sufficient fraud in the 2020 election that could have overturned the results.
Of course, that’s just a summary. There is more, much more.
Okay, to be fair and address the other side: At the GOP convention numerous speakers, including some of the above, hailed the former president, but the one that electrified the audience came from Hulk Hogan.
—————
Berl Falbaum is a long-time political journalist and author of several books.
Oh, I mean Republican officials; there is not a Democrat in sight in the list below. Call it a public service.
These are characterizations from people who worked for him and knew him best.
Reader discretion advised for Trumpites. To use the language of warnings on TV, you may find the comments disturbing.
Here goes.
--J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate: He was a “never-Trump guy,” “I never liked him,” and exclaimed, “My God, what an idiot.” He called Trump “America’s Hitler” and in 2016, Vance described Trump as “a terrible candidate,” “a cynical a_____ like Nixon” and “cultural heroin.”
--Trump’s Former Vice President Mike Pence: He cannot in “good conscience” endorse Trump.
--Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who challenged Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination: Nominating Trump for president would be like committing suicide for the country. Trump is “unhinged,” “unsafe to be president,” and “unqualified to be president of the United States.”
--House Speaker Mike Johnson in 2015: “The thing about Donald Trump is that he lacks the character and the moral center we desperately need again in the White House.”
--In 2017, Trump’s then Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson: He called his boss a “f_____ moron” in a Pentagon meeting.
--Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis: Trump was “the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
--Trump’s former chief of staff, Marine General John Kelly: Trump was the “most flawed person I ever met in my life. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else.”
--Florida Senator Marco Rubio in 2016: “You all have friends who are thinking about voting for Donald Trump [but] friends do not let friends vote for a con artist.”
--Texas Senator Ted Cruz: Trump is a “sniveling coward,” “utterly immoral,” a “serial philanderer” and “pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies.”
--South Carolina Senator Lindsey O. Graham: Trump is a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and he told Trump to “go to Hell.”
--Former Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2016: “...Donald Trump’s candidacy is a cancer on conservatism and it must be clearly diagnosed, excised, and discarded.”
--GOP Presidents George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush, did not endorse Trump in 2016, nor did Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the GOP nominee for president in 2012.
--Utah’s Senior Senator Mike Lee, after the Access Hollywood tape became public: “I wouldn’t hire that person, wouldn’t want to be associated with that person. And, I certainly don’t think I’d be comfortable hiring that person to be the leader of the free world.” Then, in another statement, he admitted, Trump “scares me to death.”
--North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was a presidential candidate briefly this year: He wouldn’t even do business with Trump.
--Kristi Noem, South Dakota governor, who was considered a possible Trump running mate: She said in 2016, “[Trump is] not my candidate.”
--New York Representative Elise Stefanik, also mentioned as a possible Trump running mate: Trump was a “whack job.”
--Kari Lake, unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in Arizona and current senatorial candidate: She depicted Trump, “as not my president.”
--South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace after the January 6 insurrection: “I hold him accountable for the events that transpired in the attack on our Capitol....”
--New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu: He repeatedly criticized Trump, stating Trump brought doom to the GOP and faced “numerous investigations and continues to peddle the conspiracy theory that he won the 2020 election.”
--Former White House Counsel Ty Cobb: “Trump is an empty soul. He doesn’t stand for anything but pure ambition. There is no principle at all.”
--Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy regarding Trump’s responsibility for the January 6 insurrection: “I’ve been very clear to the president --- he bears responsibilities for his words and actions. No ifs, ands or buts.”
--Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, discussing the January 6 insurrection with associates: “The Democrats are going to take care of the son of ____ for us,” according to a book, ‘This Will Not Pass.’ As to Trump’s guilt, McConnell has said, “If this isn’t impeachable, I don’t know what is.”
In addition, all of Trump’s highest-ranking officials in the White House told him he lost the 2020 election, and they testified to that fact at the January 6 Select Committee’s hearings. His attorney general, Bill Barr, called Trump’s claims of winning “bu______.”
In apparent agreement with Barr’s conclusion, Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, “accepted” Barr’s assessment that there was no evidence of sufficient fraud in the 2020 election that could have overturned the results.
Of course, that’s just a summary. There is more, much more.
Okay, to be fair and address the other side: At the GOP convention numerous speakers, including some of the above, hailed the former president, but the one that electrified the audience came from Hulk Hogan.
—————
Berl Falbaum is a long-time political journalist and author of several books.
