Donald Trump Jr. took to Twitter to attack “2024 GOP hopefuls” for not supporting his father, highlighting a growing divide between the Republican Party and Trump loyalists.
The president’s son sent a stark message Thursday to GOP leaders hoping to further their political careers, writing that those who haven’t supported Trump during the election process “cower to the media mob instead.”
“The total lack of action from virtually all of the ‘2024 GOP hopefuls’ is pretty amazing,” he tweeted. “They have a perfect platform to show that they’re willing & able to fight but they will cower to the media mob instead. Don’t worry @realDonaldTrump will fight & they can watch as usual!”
The only exception, he added, was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who he said “has been active and vocal.”
Though Trump Jr. did not specifically call out others by name, a number of GOP leaders have remained hesitant to support the president as he claims false victory, alleges voter fraud and files lawsuits while ballots are still being counted in battleground states.
Some leaders have even challenged him publicly.
GOP Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who has previously stated his interest in running for the 2024 presidential election, tweeted in response to Trump’s false claim to victory that “the result of the presidential race will be known after every legally cast vote has been counted.”
Similarly, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told ABC News on Wednesday that “there’s just no basis to make that argument tonight, there just isn’t. All these votes have to be counted that are in now. I disagree with what he did tonight.”
On CNN, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum said he was “very distressed by what I heard the president say.”
Even conservative commentator Ben Shapiro weighed in on Trump’s statements, tweeting that “Trump has not already won the election, and it is deeply irresponsible for him to say he has.”
Additional GOP leaders, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, have remained publicly silent as Trump trails behind Biden. When asked for a comment on Trump’s handling of the election, Cruz refused to lend his remarks.
A former chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, responded to Trump’s tactics by saying the president “is fearful of the outcome because he has not made the case for his re-election to the American people so he’s trying to game the system against itself to his benefit.”
Trump loyalists have responded by vehemently defending the president.
On Thursday, Eric Trump tweeted that Republicans need to “have some backbone” and “fight against this fraud.”
GOP House candidate Ronny Jackson of Texas tweeted that “RINOs,” or Republicans in name only, “need to STAND UP for President Trump and fight back against the Democrats and their election fraud. This election is too important! We must #ProtectTheVote.”
And Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and Trump’s personal lawyer, agreed with Eric Trump on Twitter that voters “will never forget” the lack of support from the GOP, writing on Thursday “No, they won’t.”
But the divide between the GOP and Trump supporters continues to grow as the president trails Democratic nominee Joe Biden in key battleground states.
As of Thursday evening, Biden had collected 253 out of 270 electoral votes needed to win, with projections to take both Arizona and Nevada. If that were to happen, he would win the presidential race.
