President Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr. on Thursday called out potential 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls for not being supportive enough of his father as votes are counted across the country to determine a White House winner.
Trump Jr., who is seen as a potential future political candidate, decried a “total lack of action” from those who may make a run in four years, as the current presidential race comes down to the wire in a handful of battleground states.
“They have a perfect platform to show that they’re willing & able to fight but they will cower to the media mob instead,” Trump Jr. tweeted, adding that his father “will fight & they can watch as usual!”
The president’s other adult son, Eric Trump, also bemoaned what he viewed as a lack of GOP action to support his father, calling on Republicans to “have some backbone.”
“Fight against this fraud. Our voters will never forget you if your [sic] sheep!” he tweeted.
Trump’s sons called on Republicans to step up efforts to defend their father as the president’s campaign and GOP officials scramble to file lawsuits in several states to stop vote-counting as estimates show the president beginning to lose ground to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Shortly after Trump Jr.’s initial tweet, a number of Republicans who are viewed as possible contenders for the party’s 2024 nomination chimed in on Twitter, voicing support for President Trump while urging for a fair election.
“All votes that are *legally* cast should be counted. There is NO excuse not to allow poll watchers to observe counting,” tweeted Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), who served as United Nations ambassador under Trump, also tweeted, “We all owe @realDonaldTrump for his leadership of conservative victories for Senate, House, & state legislatures.”
“He and the American people deserve transparency & fairness as the votes are counted. The law must be followed. We have to keep the faith that the truth will prevail,” she added.
Trump Jr. noted that Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who has also been floated as a potential 2024 candidate, had already weighed in saying he would introduce legislation pushing for an array of voting changes.
“If last 24 hrs have made anything clear, it’s that we need new election integrity laws NOW. Ban ballot harvesting, guarantee poll watcher access, make ballot counting transparent. I will introduce,” Haley had tweeted.
Political observers have begun speculating as to who could take up the GOP mantle in 2024 if Trump loses the election, with some floating Trump Jr., Cotton, Haley, Hawley, Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, among others.
The president is currently trailing in Nevada and Arizona, and his narrow leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia are winnowing.