Asa Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential hopeful who has criticized Trump in the past, commended the ex-president for demonstrating strength after an assassination attempt on his life.
Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson, who has often been critical of Donald Trump, has praised the ex-president's handling of an assassination attempt on his life.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Hutchinson said he believes Trump "showed strength" after the incident at a rally in Ohio on Saturday.
Former Republican Presidential Candidate Praises Trump's Resilience After Assassination Attempt
"Well, first of all, Donald Trump has done a good job in the way he has handled himself, showing strength at the time of the assassination attempt, understanding the importance of his candidacy to America," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson's comments come as a contrast to President Joe Biden, who has faced criticism and calls from Democrats to step aside after a widely panned debate performance last month.
Former Republican Presidential Candidate Praises Trump's Resilience After Assassination Attempt
"And you contrast that to Joe Biden and his debate performance, those are choices that really are stark. And so — and then, of course, how Donald Trump has handled himself afterwards saying, ‘This is an opportunity to bring America more together,’" Hutchinson continued.
Hutchinson also praised Trump for inviting other GOP primary opponents like former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley to the event.
Former Republican Presidential Candidate Praises Trump's Resilience After Assassination Attempt
"Trump’s steps have impressed me," he said.
Trump announced on Monday that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance would be his running mate, a choice that Hutchinson said he would have preferred to be someone else.
"Although I’d picked somebody else as VP, he won the nomination, that’s what he gets to do. For me, I'm gonna wait this out," he said. "There’s time left, and I'm delighted to be here with my fellow Republicans, have a little bit more of an independent voice, but I want to wait and see how this shapes up for the fall."
Hutchinson's comments mark a shift from his previous criticisms of Trump. In 2020, he called Trump a "threat to our democracy" and said he would not endorse him.
However, Hutchinson has also been critical of other Republicans, including Biden and Vance. He has said that Biden is "not up to the job" of being president and that Vance is a "dangerous" choice for vice president.
Hutchinson's comments come as the Republican Party is divided over Trump's future in the party. Some Republicans believe that Trump should be the party's nominee in 2024, while others believe that the party needs to move on from Trump.
Hutchinson's comments suggest that he is not yet ready to endorse Trump for president in 2024 but is willing to give him a chance to prove himself.
It remains to be seen whether Trump will be able to unify the Republican Party and win the nomination in 2024. However, Hutchinson's comments suggest that there is still some support for Trump within the party.
