Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said he is a “no” on a possible 2024 presidential bid but that “it would be fun” to run against former President Trump because he “just lies.”
“No, it’s not my intention, no. But it would be fun to run against him because he stands up and just lies. He tells untruths,” Kinzinger said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“People love it because it’s entertaining but eventually, people have a concern for their country,” he added.
Kinzinger, who is leaving Congress when his term ends on Tuesday, chose not to run for reelection to another term in Congress after becoming isolated from much of his party over his condemnation of Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
He was also one of 10 House Republican to vote for Trump’s impeachment following the Capitol riot.
“So no, my intention is not to run in 2024. But it would be fun. It would be fun to stand on a stage with Donald Trump and actually tell the truth because when he’s on a stage it’s nothing but lies that come out,” Kinzinger said.
Trump announced his third bid for the White House in November, becoming the first major candidate to get in the race.
Kinzinger also said during the interview with CNN that he would not miss his job in Congress and looked forward to focusing on “broader things” and “bigger fights.”
He also said he blamed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Florida following the riot, helping keep the former president relevant politically.