The New Karl Rove: Trump Once Claimed He Loved the Tea Party – Now He’s Declared War on It
This week, President Trump declared war on the Freedom Caucus, saying that he would “fight” the conservatives who opposed RINOcare in the 2018 election.
President Trump sounds just like Karl Rove.
Back in 2013, Karl Rove and his allies in the Republican Establishment sought to destroy Tea Party conservatives. Rove created a superPAC, the Conservative Victory Project, to “recruit seasoned candidates and protect Senate incumbents from challenges by far-right conservatives and Tea Party enthusiasts who Republican leaders worry could complicate the party’s effort to win control of the Senate,” The New York Times reported at the time.
Rove wanted to defeat conservative candidates in Republican primaries — candidates like Chris McDaniel in Mississippi. In 2013, Donald Trump was still a businessman, and back then he fought to defend the Tea Party.
If Karl Rove & @GOP Establishment continue to attack the Tea Party, who delivered in 2010, then there will be a 3rd Party in 2016.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2013
Trump objected to Rove’s targeting of Tea Party candidates in the 2014 primary elections.
I don’t like bullies. I am not going to stand around and watch @KarlRove target the Tea Party. Karl Rove gave us Barack Obama. Loser.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2013
He even blamed Rove and the Republican Establishment for helping the Democratic agenda.
.@KarlRove is far more to blame for Obama’s victory than the Tea Party.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2013
Trump even went on “The Mark Levin Show” to discuss Rove’s mismanagement of the Republican Party.
“The Tea Party, these people are great,” Trump said. “When I see Karl Rove go and demean the Tea Party after what he did with his lousy record, I was just really angry.”
And Trump swore the Tea Party would fight on.
The Tea Party is filled with great Americans. Despite being mistreated by everyone, including @GOP, they will continue to fight on
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2013
Now, as president of the United States, Donald Trump is accusing the Tea Party Republicans in Congress of obstructing the agenda, of helping the Democrats.
The ruling @GOP consultant class of losers like @KarlRove have no respect for the Tea Party. They do this at their own peril!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2013
Those are the arguments he once used against Karl Rove. In attacking the Freedom Caucus, in threatening to primary them, Trump has become Rove.
Trump has abandoned calls for Republican unity.
Continued success is built on building a brand people know will deliver. Unless you’re @KarlRove. Then you just blame the Tea Party.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2013
With his $488 billion deficit budget and plans for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, he has turned his back on small government and fiscal responsibility.
The Tea Party delivered the House for @GOP so they could be fiscally responsible. Instead they have been irresponsible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2013
He’s sided with the liberal and “moderate” Republicans. He’s sided with the Establishment.
‘Moderate’ Repubs plotting against @GOP strategy have short term memories. Tea Party gave them majority in House & primaries aren’t fun.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2013
During negotiations over RINOcare, Trump told the Freedom Caucus it was Paul Ryan’s way or the highway. What happened to “listening” and “respecting” the Tea Party conservatives?
Republicans better start listening to and respecting the Tea Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2013
That was then.
The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don’t get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2017
This is now. If Donald Trump had announced his campaign for president saying “We need to fight the Freedom Caucus in 2016,” would he be president today?
Update:
Karl Rove wrote a piece for The Wall Street Journal Wednesday in which he said, “The only lines crossed during this debacle were breached by the Freedom Caucusers, who committed political libel against their Republican colleagues, stopped the legislative process dead in its tracks, and saved ObamaCare. Congratulations.”
On Fox News Thursday, Bill Hemmer pointed out that Rove was saying the same thing President Trump is saying.
Thanks for making my point for me, Karl!
