Critical voices have so far been fairly quiet within the Grand Old Party, just days after the historic federal indictment of former President Donald Trump, a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. Several party members, including candidates for the party’s nomination for The next election, however, on Sunday, June 18 found Mr. Trump indefensible and ” [pas] above the law” .
“I can’t defend myself” what he is accused of, Mike Pence, former vice president of Mr. Trump (2017-2021), candidate in the Republican primaries for 2024, said on the Nbc channel.
This was stated by Mark Esper, who was Donald Trump’s defense minister “if the allegations are true, they contained information about our nation’s security (…)could be very harmful to the nation”on the CNN channel. “No one is above the law”he added, judging these revelations “unsettling”.
Former Arkansas governor and Republican primary candidate Asa Hutchinson told ABC the allegations against Donald Trump were “serious and likely to disqualify him” and argues: “I think he should give up. »
Delicate position of primary candidates
Mr. Trump appeared in federal court in Miami on Tuesday, the first time for a former president. He is accused of endangering US security by keeping confidential documents, including military plans or information about nuclear weapons, in the bathrooms or storage room of his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, luxury residence and refusing to return any documents despite court orders. In federal court, he pleaded not guilty.
Critical remarks voiced about him Sunday by Republican tenors, some of whom he is the direct contender for the party’s 2024 nomination, contrast with those of many Republican elected officials in Congress. The latter defended Mr. Trump, refused to criticize him, or did so only moderately.
Most candidates for the Republican nomination find themselves in a delicate position, anxious both to show their difference from Donald Trump and to avoid alienating their loyal electoral base.
Mike Pence thus noted on Sunday that the former president “deserved” his summons to court, while refusing to speak further ” Before [Donald Trump] he had the opportunity to take his case to court.. “I don’t know why some of my Republican primary contestants assume the president will be found guilty”he also said.
The case in which the billionaire and former real estate mogul is implicated is just one of many legal cases in which he is embroiled and which cast a shadow on his race for a second term in 2024.
