MSNBC’s Jen Psaki recently shared a theory as to why Republicans critical of former President Donald Trump have started to support the former president, being that they would be next in power behind Trump via Washington Examiner.
It is noted that Republicans such as former Attorney General William Barr and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have endorsed the former president ahead of the 2024 election. This could end up being a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden.
Psaki had previously worked as Biden’s White House press secretary and criticized the Republicans who have went against their past criticism of Trump and argued that their support stems from the personal benefits they would get from doing so.
“I think many of them want to be close to power. They also assume or have this thought in their mind that ‘maybe Donald Trump will go away,’” Psaki said. “Maybe he’ll go to jail. Maybe he will die. Not to be too morbid, but maybe, I mean, he’s not a young man. Who knows what’s in their minds? They think, ‘Maybe I will be behind the Oval Office. Maybe I will be in the Oval Office.’”
Psaki is promoting her new book and also speculated that people like Barr and McConnell are supporting Trump out of fear of his supporters, which she referred to as “the mob.”
Psaki said that she could understand being somewhat afraid of a candidate’s supporters, she pointed to how other former Trump staff members, such as Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews, have chosen to support Biden over Trump despite their political differences.
The former White House press secretary also praised former Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan for his announcement to support Biden instead of Trump, who similarly criticized Republican Trump critics for their renewed support of the former president. Psaki argued that “there needs to be more Geoff Duncans out there.”
