By Lina Martinez
Opinions on Trump waver from day to day. It’s not surprising: due to Trump’s relatively unpredictable nature and the consistent stream of evidence and anecdotes purporting to his controversial behaviour, actions, and comments, a staunch supporter one day could be turned away from him the next. Here are a few notable Republican figures whose loyalty to the party has waned due to its current figurehead.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger is noted for being a stalwart Republican. However, approaching the Presidential election, he revealed on Twitter that for the first time since becoming an American citizen in 1983, he would not be voting for the Republican candidate for President. He noted that despite being proud to call himself a Republican, he would call himself an American first, going on to speak of how one should support their country over a party, implying that Trump would be no good for America at large.
Mike Crapo
Mike Crapo is a US Senator, representing Idaho. However, as a proud advocate of women’s rights (having campaigned for years against domestic violence), he noted that he could not support an individual who has made such consistent demeaning, disrespectful, and profane comments against women. Like Schwarzenegger, he believes that the USA requires a conservative rule. However, cannot bring himself to support Trump as a leader of the party that Crapo represents himself.
Susan Collins
Senator Susan Collins of Maine may not have publicly questioned Trump’s leadership, but she did highlight how political figures are privately discussing their doubts as to his ability when a microphone picked up her conversation with democratic senator Jack Reed at a hearing. During the conversation she questioned his mental state and overall competence. While Reed noted that he thought Trump was “crazy” she confided that she was “worried”.
John McCain
Now, John McCain’s name has been splashed across the news a whole lot due to his lack of alliance with Trump. But if you’re not quite up to scratch with Arizonan politics, let us fill you in. Despite a last minute phone call with the President himself, McCain refused to get behind Trump’s Republican healthcare bill, essentially sinking it in a vote in the early hours of the morning. The senator has been upheld as a maverick for this move. His relationship with the President is notoriously taut, as he refuses to back down and has long been open with his criticisms of the President himself, his rhetoric, and his foreign policy. Despite undergoing medical treatment, McCain is staunch in his views and has opposed Trump time and time again throughout his Presidency so far.
Perhaps never before has a President proven so controversial and largely unpopular amongst their very own party as Donald Trump has managed to become. Bear in mind that these are just a few of the Republican individuals who are in leadership positions or are prominent in the public eye who oppose his actions and comments. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of individual Republican-identifying voters who are coming to question his leadership.
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