GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger calls Trump 'one of the weakest men that I've ever seen'

GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) tore into former President Donald Trump Monday night, after the ex-president took offense to former President George W. Bush's criticism of domestic terrorism during a 9/11 commeration speech over the weekend.
"I mean, [Trump] proved George W.'s point as quickly and as amazingly as you can," Kinzinger told CNN's John Berman. "To anybody that's still kind of looking at Donald Trump as a standard bearer for the Republican party, this is one of the weakest men that I've ever seen."
On Monday, Trump issued a statement firing back at Bush for likening violent extremism and domestic terrorism to that which originates abroad, while suggesting both to be significant threats to the United States in their own ways. Although Bush did not specify who or what exactly he was referring to, there was speculation he was alluding to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and thus possibly a subsection of Trump supporters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And Kinzinger, for his part, did not take Trump's possible defense of Capitol rioters or extremists well. "Somebody with strength is somebody that can take criticism, that can go out on a day like Sept. 11 and bring people together. And, you know, folks on my side like to use the term 'snowflake' when talking about people that get offended really easily — well, that's Donald Trump."
Kinzinger said he "certainly" believes Trump to be weak, for being both easily offended and a fan of punching down. "I mean, he'll attack a radio host, for goodness sakes, when he was president of the United States. That to me, at least how I grew up ... that to me was always weakness."
Watch more below:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 27, 2025
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - group chats, language lessons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Playhouse Creatures: 'dream-like' play is 'lively, funny and sharp-witted'
Anna Chancellor offers a 'glinting performance' alongside a 'strong' supporting cast
By The Week UK Published
-
The CIA Book Club: 'entertaining and vivid' book explores a huge Cold War secret
The Week Recommends 'Gripping' narrative explores a covert smuggling operation across the Iron Curtain
By The Week UK Published
-
'Even authoritarian regimes need a measure of public support — the consent of at least some of the governed'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
USPS Postmaster General DeJoy steps down
Speed Read Louis DeJoy faced ongoing pressure from the Trump administration as they continue to seek power over the postal system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'There is a certain kind of strength in refusing to concede error'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump's TPS takedown
Feature The president plans to deport a million immigrants with protected status. What effects will that have?
By The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published