'Bad for the USA': Trump unleashes on top GOP rep who defended him outside courthouse

28 May 2024

One prominent House Republican recently discovered that traveling to the Manhattan courthouse to defend former President Donald Trump during his first criminal trial doesn't guarantee that he'll reciprocate.

Rolling Stone reported Tuesday that Rep. Bob Good (R-Virginia), a staunch Trump supporter who chairs the far-right House Freedom Caucus, failed to receive the ex-president's endorsement in his hotly contested primary. Trump attacked Good on his Truth Social platform despite the Virginia Republican standing at a lectern alongside other Republicans in New York City and praising Trump while attacking prosecutors and Judge Juan Merchan.

"We’re here to have his back," the House Freedom Caucus chairman said earlier this month. We’re here to defend him and to tell the truth about this travesty of justice, this political persecution, this election interference, this rigging of elections."

Both Good and John McGuire — who is running against Good in the June 18 Republican primary for Virginia's 5th Congressional District — spoke outside of Trump's trial. Rolling Stone reported that the two rivals even rode together in Trump's motorcade. Still, Good's praise was evidently not enough for the former president, who endorsed McGuire while blasting Good on social media.

"Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA,” Trump wrote in his signature all-caps style. “He turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement – But really, it was too late. The damage had been done!”

The 45th president of the United States is likely still holding a grudge against Good for his endorsement of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the early stages of the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Good lauded DeSantis' "courageous conservative leadership" in May of 2023 — notably, before he even officially announced his doomed campaign for the GOP nomination.

"Governor Ron DeSantis has shown through action as Florida's chief executive that confronting hard challengers delivers effective results for every man, woman and child," Good stated last year. "That strength in the face of adversity is needed more today than ever before, and it is why I am unequivocally endorsing and encouraging Governor DeSantis to run for president."

Charlottesville, Virginia-based news site CvilleRightNow.com noted that even though Good endorsed Trump after DeSantis dropped out of the race, it was still not enough to win Trump's endorsement for his own primary campaign. CVilleRightNow correspondent Jay Hart reported that Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita has vowed to make Good "unelectable."

Trumpworld's coldness toward Good has carried over to some of his colleagues, who have sought to remove him from his position atop the House Freedom Caucus. Still, Good has attempted to ingratiate himself with the insurrectionist wing of the Republican Party in giving an official endorsement to January 6 rioter Derrick Evans, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in West Virginia. Evans served a three-month prison sentence for his role in the insurrection.

“We’re taking this country back whether you like it or not!" Evans shouted at U.S. Capitol Police officers. "Patriots ain’t being quiet anymore. Patriots ain’t gonna stand down to tyranny anymore! Patriots ain’t gonna stand down for stolen elections anymore!”

Click here to read Rolling Stone's report in its entirety (subscription required).

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