George W. Bush criticizes Trump’s policies at GOP fundraiser: report
Former President George W. Bush critiqued Donald Trump’s views at a fundraiser Tuesday, according to a new report, without naming the GOP presidential nominee.
Bush went after Trump’s policies of “isolationism, nativism and protectionism” at the Cincinnati fundraiser for Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), The Wall Street Journal reports.
{mosads}Bush told the approximately 400 people in attendance that he’s been reflecting on threats against American exceptionalism, though he didn’t put his remarks in the context of the 2016 race, according to the newspaper. He spoke for an hour, including 40 minutes answering questions.
When asked about the future of the GOP, Bush reportedly responded, “As long as everyone feels welcome, I think we’ll succeed,” according to Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio).
Trump has bucked party orthodoxy and advocated a policy platform of revisiting military alliances and renegotiating trade deals. He’s also been a vocal critic of Bush, including in the GOP primary.
Bush has largely avoided directly criticizing Trump during the presidential race, and several Bush World alums have endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton over the controversial businessman.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
