Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will not commit to supporting the eventual 2024 Republican presidential nominee, challenging a Republican National Committee debate requirement just weeks before the first primary debate.
“Why would I sign it?” the former president asked during a Wednesday interview on Newsmax. “I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.”
While Trump shied away from specifically naming any candidates he would refuse to support, later in the interview, he did name tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Senator Tim Scott (R., S.C.) as two competitors who “have been very nice.”
According to a copy of the pledge circulated by Florida governor Ron DeSantis online, the statement asks nominees to “honor the will of the primary voters and support the nominee in order to save our country and beat Joe Biden.” Moreover, the document demands that failed candidates withhold running independent or thirty-party campaigns.
JUST IN: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 2024 GOP loyalty pledge, will support the nominee if he does not win the primary pic.twitter.com/mU5Rir6kEu
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 9, 2023
Although Trump’s favorability rating among Republican and Republican-leaning voters has fallen in recent months as criminal indictments have piled up, he still remains the clear frontrunner.
Asked during the interview about his mounting legal woes, Trump struck back at special counsel Jack Smith, who recently has brought cases against the former president in Washington, D.C., as well as Florida.
“Deranged. He’s like a deranged human being,” Trump said of Smith on Wednesday. “I think he’s just a sick guy. He destroyed the lives of many people; he was overturned unanimously in the Supreme Court. I believe he’s 0-in-5. In other words, he takes it to the end.”
“He’s like a deranged individual, and I think we’re doing very well with that guy, but he is a sick puppy.”
“He’s a sick puppy.” Trump verbally attacks Jack Smith, then declares, “I’m allowed to do everything”. (Video: Newsmax) pic.twitter.com/HIuYmXLHEY
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 10, 2023
Trump also took a shot at former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, a former ally turned outspoken critic, who has called the former president a “coward” for openly considering skipping the debate. “It’s not a question of guts. It’s a question of intelligence,” the former president responded.
Trump told Newsmax that in the coming week, he will decide whether to participate in the first Republican debate, which will be held on August 23 in Milwaukee.