George W. Bush Remains Silent on Trump Amid Growing GOP Divisions

Former President George W. Bush has faced increasing criticism for his refusal to speak out against Donald Trump as the 2024 presidential election approaches. Despite mounting concerns over Trump’s impact on American democracy, Bush has remained on the sidelines, choosing not to endorse either candidate.

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell recently called out Bush on the *Fast Politics* podcast, expressing frustration that the former president has not condemned Trump’s candidacy. “All any decent person wants him to do is to say, ‘Don’t vote for Donald Trump, and here’s why,’ and he won’t even do that,” O’Donnell said of Bush, who served as the Republican president from 2001 to 2009.

Bush’s stance is becoming increasingly isolated as several high-profile Republicans from his era have taken firm positions against Trump. Among them are his former vice president, Dick Cheney, and Cheney’s daughter, Liz, both of whom have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. This week, over 100 senior Republicans also signed a letter urging voters to reject Trump, warning that his return to the White House would undermine democratic principles.

The letter, signed by former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and ex-CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden, emphasized the need for a steady and moral leader. While the signatories acknowledged they might disagree with Harris on many policy issues, they stressed that she possesses the qualities necessary to lead, qualities they believe Trump lacks.

Notably absent from the list of Republicans denouncing Trump were Bush, his former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and his close advisor, James Baker. Their silence draws increasing attention, especially as more senior Republicans publicly distance themselves from Trump.

Bush’s office has indicated that the former president does not plan to endorse any candidate, citing his retirement from presidential politics. His most memorable comment on Trump remains from the 2017 inauguration, where Bush reportedly described the event as “weird.” 

Rice, who opposed Trump in 2016 following the *Access Hollywood* scandal, has remained primarily quiet this election cycle. She has commented on Trump’s presidency in the past, particularly in 2021, when she noted the importance of addressing the concerns of voters who felt abandoned by the political establishment. However, her remarks have not directly targeted Trump’s current bid for office, leading critics like former Congressman Adam Kinzinger to call for more assertive statements.

“It’s time to speak up and do more,” Kinzinger said. “You’re not fighting against ‘isolationism.’ You’re fighting against Trump, and you must say this out loud.”

Meanwhile, James Baker, Bush’s longtime confidant and former Secretary of State, has not taken a public stance on Trump in 2024. Though critical of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Baker previously suggested that Trump’s presidency had benefits, such as conservative judicial appointments and deregulation. Now 94, Baker has not revealed how he will vote, though he once remarked that while the Republican Party may have left him, he would not abandon it.

As the GOP faces internal divisions over Trump’s candidacy, the silence of figures like Bush, Rice, and Baker speaks volumes in a political landscape increasingly defined by stark choices.