Trump’s 2024 Rivals Won’t Even Criticize Him for Sexual Assault Ruling

Donald Trump has managed to cow his Republican 2024 opponents into defending him at every turn — even when he’s been found liable for sexual battery.

A New York jury ruled on Tuesday that Trump must pay $5 million in civil damages to author E. Jean Carroll, who alleged the former president raped her in the ‘90s. While the jury stopped short of ruling the attack was rape, they did find that Trump was liable for sexual battery against Carroll and had later defamed her after she came forward. 

Several of Trump’s declared — and prospective — rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination found themselves deflecting, and even defending Trump when questioned about the verdict. 

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy in February, said in a Wednesday interview with Hugh Hewitt that the situation was “something for Trump to respond to.”

“The focus has to be, not to be distracted,” she said. “That’s why we’ve got to leave the baggage and the negativity behind.” 

“I think he’s got to answer for it, but you know, it’s not my case. It’s his case,” Haley added 

Businessman-turned-presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy issued a statement outright defending Trump from the allegations of assault. “I’ll say what everyone else is privately thinking: if the defendant weren’t named Donald Trump, would there even be a lawsuit,” the statement read. “In the middle of a spate of other legal charges against Trump for other ancient allegations — this seems like just another part of the establishment’s anaphylactic response against its chief political allergen: Donald Trump.” 

Among Republicans who have declared their intent to run against Trump, only one had truly harsh criticism for the former president. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said in a Tuesday interview with CNN that Trump’s actions were “indefensible.” 

“People will try to dismiss it because maybe it happened a long time ago, or because they just believe it was an attack on him — that he’s a victim somehow. But by and large I this is going to have credibility,” Hutchinson said, “Republicans should not be dismissing this and saying this is not of any significance, it is and the jury system worked in this case.” 

Hutchinson’s sentiments were echoed by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is weighing entering the 2024 Republican fray. “Why do we keep making excuses?” Christie asked in an interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade. “Why don’t we listen to his own words? In his own words in his deposition, he said what he said in the Access Hollywood tape about being able to assault women with impunity … was true and ‘it’s been true for 1,000 years.’”

But Christie and Hutchinson are facing an uphill battle in encouraging fellow Republicans to turn against Trump. The standard for how much members of the party are willing to bear before disavowing the former president has been set by none other than his former vice president. If having a bloodthirsty mob of supporters sicced on him by Trump didn’t embolden Pence to take Trump to task, sexual assault allegations probably aren’t going to, either. 

“[It’s] just one more story focusing on my former running mate that I know is a great fascination to members of the national media, but I just don’t think is where the American people are focused,” Pence said on Wednesday in an interview with NBC News.

The former VP, too, is weighing a challenge against Trump for the Republican nomination. “I think that’s a question for the American people,” Pence responded when questioned as to whether Trump was fit to serve another term. “I’m sure the president will defend himself in that matter.”