Key takeaways:
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the indictment a “weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda”
- The potential 2024 Republican primary field quickly coalesced around a strategy of attacking the prosecutor, but stopping short of praising Trump
- The indictment has yet to be tested in court, but it is clear that Trump still has strong support from within the Republican Party
Several potential Republican presidential candidates have come to the defense of former President Donald Trump after he was indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan on Thursday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was among those to speak out against the indictment, calling it a “weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda.” He also accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the prosecutor, of being “Soros-backed” and “stretching the law to target a political opponent.”
The potential 2024 Republican primary field quickly coalesced on Thursday around a strategy for responding to Trump’s indictment: Attack Bragg, but stop short of praising Trump. Many of his declared or potential rivals were quick to assert that the potential prosecution was merely about politics rather than the possibility that Trump may have committed a crime.
The news of the former president facing more than 30 counts related to business fraud was unprecedented, but the reaction from his possible GOP rivals was, in large part, familiar. Trump’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination jumped to his defense, a sign of the former president’s continued power within the party.
The indictment has yet to be tested in court, and it is unclear what the outcome will be. However, it is clear that Trump still has strong support from within the Republican Party, with many of his potential rivals coming to his defense.
Be First to Comment