Former Cabinet Members Turned Against Trump... Only 4 Publicly Support Him

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is leading in the Republican presidential primary race, but it appears he is not receiving support for a White House return from officials who served in his cabinet during his tenure.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 30th (local time), NBC News reported that out of dozens of former Trump administration officials contacted, only 4 out of 44 publicly expressed support for his bid for re-election.

According to NBC, only four former officials?the former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former White House Budget Director Russell Vought, former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell?publicly supported Trump's attempt to return to the White House.

On the other hand, some officials openly opposed Trump's attempt to secure the Republican nomination or stated that they do not want him to return to power.

Bill Barr, former Attorney General who has been critical of Trump since leaving office, stated, "I have strongly opposed Trump's (Republican presidential) nomination and will not support him."

Former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney also expressed hope that Trump would lose in the Republican primary. Mulvaney said, "He (Trump) is the candidate most likely to lose in next year's election among all the leading candidates in our party," emphasizing, "If there is anyone who will lose to Joe Biden (the president), it will be him."

Former Vice President Mike Pence and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served in Trump's cabinet, have outright challenged Trump and are competing in the Republican primary race.

NBC reported that most officials either refused to comment on whether they support former President Trump or outright ignored requests to state their position.

Former Trump administration officials who have not yet expressed support for Trump include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, former Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan, former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and former National Security Agency Directors Joseph Maguire and Dan Coats.

Officials who publicly fell out with Trump years ago have also declined to comment on their support. Notable examples include former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, former Secretary of Defense Rex Tillerson, and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, was mocked by Trump as "Coco Chao."

Tillerson, the first Secretary of Defense under the Trump administration, was reported to have called Trump a "moron" at a meeting in the summer of 2017 and was dismissed the following year.

Mattis strongly criticized Trump, especially after the January 6th Capitol riot by far-right Trump supporters, stating in a public statement that the U.S. would overcome this disgrace. Trump retaliated by calling him "the most overrated general."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.