Trump’s act is ‘old and tired’, GOP needs ‘fresh face’

Former national security adviser John Bolton called Donald Trump’s act “old and tired” and pointed to the rise of Florida Gov. Ro​n DeSantis as evidence that Republicans are ready to move to a “fresh face.”

DeSantis has had “a very successful run as governor of Florida,” Bolton told the Guardian in an interview published Saturday. “He won re-election on November 8th by a large majority. Many people see him as the next generation candidate. That’s one of Trump’s biggest problems – his act is old and tired now.”

Bolton, who served in the Trump administration from 2018 to 2019, said the Republicans’ overwhelming performance in the midterm elections, in which they won control of the House of Representatives but not the Senate, shows voters are looking for a new seek leadership.

“There are many reasons to be against Trump being the nominee, but the one I’m hearing now as I make calls across the country and talk to my supporters and others about what on the 8th Trump turned off in their brains” said Bolton.

“Even if they loved his style, loved his approach, loved his politics, loved everything about him, they don’t want to lose, and given the results of the 8th, he loses the general election, but he would take a lot of Republican candidates with him,” Bolton said the publication.

Bolton’s comments add to the chorus of voices from Republicans and former Trump administration officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, ready to walk past the 76-year-old Trump.

In contrast, DeSantis clinched a double-digit win over his challenger in the Sunshine State — a win that fueled speculation that he will be the clear favorite to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024.

Bolton said his own polls showed Trump had bled supporters over the past two years.

“One question we asked was, do you want Trump or do you want a fresh face? I think in our last poll over 50% said they want a fresh face. This will only continue. I personally don’t think so [President] Biden will end up running on the Democratic side and that will have an impact, too,” he said.

Trump, who is under investigation for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots and for moving a trove of classified documents from the White House to his resort in Mar-a-Lago, Fla., announced that he is a Another White House bid will be submitted week after the midterm elections.

Bolton acknowledged that Trump still has some juice when it comes to promoting candidates in the primary, but that influence doesn’t extend to the general election.

“There is no doubt that Trump’s support in the primary can be very valuable to a Republican Party candidate. But relying on that support or touting yourself as a Trump-backed candidate is poisonous in the general election,” he said.

“So if you actually want to win elections, Trump is not the answer,” Bolton said.