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Republicans challenging former President Donald Trump for the 2024 nomination were divided Tuesday after the 76-year-old was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation of the writer E. Jean Carroll.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has repeatedly criticized the 45th president since entering the GOP race last month, condemned Trump in one of the first statements after the verdict.
“Over the course of my over 25 years of experience in the courtroom, I have seen firsthand how a cavalier and arrogant contempt for the rule of law can backfire,” Hutchinson said. “The jury verdict should be treated with seriousness and is another example of the indefensible behavior of Donald Trump.”
Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ shadow campaign, declined to comment on the verdict, but former Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama — a one-time Trump ally who broke with the former president last year — showed no such restraint.
“GUILTY!” said Brooks on Twitter. “$5 million sexual assault & defamation jury verdict. GOP CANNOT afford REPEAT sexual predator offender as 2024 president nominee. Offends voters badly.”
“America needs [the] strongest GOP candidate. Trump ain’t it. Character matters,” added Brooks, who has not yet made an endorsement in the 2024 Republican race, but told AL.com last year the future of the party lay in “Ron DeSantis or somebody like him.”
Some Republican candidates came to Trump’s defense, with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suggesting the Carroll case was politically motivated.
