Trump lashes out at potential 2024 rival Youngkin — 'Sounds Chinese'

(Image credit: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

published 11 November 2022

Former President Donald Trump attacked Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) on Friday morning, as the Republican party grapples nationally with what has widely been seen as an underwhelming performance in this week's 2022 midterm elections.

In a message posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted himself as the animating force behind Youngkin's 2021 gubernatorial victory over Terry McAuliffe, writing that "Young Kin (now that's an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn't it?) in Virginia couldn't have won without me."

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Facing mounting criticism from within the GOP for his role in diluting the expected "red wave" of Republican midterm victories, Trump has spent much of his post-election energy on attacking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), whose decisive wins on Tuesday have strengthened his position as a potential 2024 presidential nominee — and as such, a likely Trump rival. Trump's Friday attack on Youngkin — also seen as a potential 2024 presidential rival — followed a similar theme as his earlier offensive against DeSantis, framing himself as the GOP kingmaker without whose political clout and acumen both governors would have lost.

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Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.

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