GOP caucus chair denies he criticized Trump — but he’s 'on camera very critical of' ex-president

22 January 2024

During a Monday, January 22 conversation with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-VA) struggled to explain why after he said he would "regret" if Donald Trump became the GOP nominee over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the GOP leader now backs the former president for the nomination.

US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has been staunchly critical of Good since his public criticism of the MAGA hopeful, and since her ouster from the Freedom Caucus last year.

"You're facing a primary challenger right now in your race, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, the congresswoman, has just endorsed him saying — and I'm quoting her now," she said, 'You're angry, disloyal MAGA traitor who was caught on camera trashing President Trump,'" Collins noted, asking Good, "When it comes to your party, what do you think is more important? Is it your conservative record or your support for Donald Trump?"

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

The Virginia congressman replied, "Well, the last part of that demonstrably false. I have never been caught on camera because I have never trashed Donald Trump. There's a reason we kicked Marjorie Taylor Greene out of the Freedom Caucus last summer. She's a disgruntled former member with an ax to grind. She has some deep seated hatred toward the Freedom Caucus now. She's been exposed as the fraud and liar she is. She's upset because Kevin McCarthy was removed as speaker and she has a personal vendetta against people like me who didn't support Kevin McCarthy for speaker. I'm not entitled to the nomination. I had to earn it in 2020, in 2022, I have to earn it in 2024. I believe the people of the fifth district won't let the seat be bought by allies of the former speaker."

The CNN host asked, "Can I say one thing? You don't like congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and you don't see eye to eye, but you are on camera very critical of Donald Trump, and it caused Trump's campaign manager to claim you wouldn't be electable."

Good asserted, "That video was made by my campaign opponent who sliced it up and edited. It's a highly edited video provided by a campaign operative from my opponent."

Collins asked, "So you didn't say the things you're on camera saying?"

The Caucus chair insisted that he did not.

Collins then played the clip in which Good said, "I decided to endorse DeSantis in May because I thought you know what? I can't sit by and watch and then regret that we nominated Trump."

The CNN host then emphasized, "You are on camera saying those things, congressman."

Good replied, "Well, but that's part of a larger sentence and a larger conversation that's been edited out, and it takes out the part where I praise President Trump and I said he was the greatest president of my lifetime and I don't criticize President Trump, I'm just supporting Governor DeSantis. And explaining to someone who was asking me, 'Well, why did you make that endorsement decision?' And I'm explaining that to them, that I thought in the battleground states that Governor DeSantis would give us a better chance to win. Obviously that decision has been made by the voters, the Republican voters across the country overwhelmingly support President Trump and I support President Trump as well."

Collins emphasized, "Well you do say on camera that you don't want to say those things publicly but you say those things privately."

The right-wing leader replied, "I don't criticize President Trump publicly. If someone asks me privately to answer a question on an issue comparison, I'm going do do that."

Collins replied, "But are you acknowledging you say things differently publicly than privately? That's what your answer there sounded like."

Good emphasized, "No. Absolutely not."

The CNN host concluded, "Okay. Congressman Bob Good, really appreciate your time explaining how this went from an endorsement of Governor DeSantis to now your endorsement of Donald Trump."

Watch the video below or at this link.

GOP rep denies he criticized Trump — although he’s 'on camera very critical of' ex-presidentwww.youtube.com

From Your Site Articles