Donald Trump may be the GOP's sole remaining candidate for the presidential nomination, but that doesn't mean top Republicans are full-throatedly embracing him. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced in a Facebook post Friday that he would not vote for Trump because he has not shown the "temperament or strength of character" required in a president. He also added that Trump is "not a consistent conservative" and "has not displayed a respect for the Constitution." Bush, once considered the frontrunner of the GOP primary race, clarified that he would not be casting a vote for Hillary Clinton, though he did say he would advocate for down-ballot Republicans.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also announced Friday that he could not "in good conscience" support Trump's bid for the White House. Graham, who dropped out of the presidential race in December, has been famously hard on Trump. Trump promptly issued a response to the senator: "While I will unify the party, Lindsey Graham has shown himself to be beyond rehabilitation. And like the voters who rejected him, so will I!"
Bush and Graham join House Speaker Paul Ryan as top-tier Republicans who have withheld their support from Trump. Bush's father and brother, both former presidents, have also declined to issue an endorsement of Trump — though Bush 43's former vice president, Dick Cheney, told CNN on Friday that he has always supported the GOP nominee and would do the same for Trump.
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.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deploymentSpeed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland
