During an interview on CNN on Sunday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) argued that former President Donald Trump should exit the 2024 race for president, questioning Trump’s basic ability to be competitive in the general election if he wins the Republican primary, which seems likely at present. Despite his four criminal cases, Trump continues as the front-runner, vastly outperforming all other challengers in polls from the contest.
Cassidy also said his personal perspective was that the criminal case against Trump that deals with him having harbored classified documents from his time in office seemed the most likely to result in serious consequences. Trump has openly admitted to having held such documents, claiming at times that the materials were declassified when he still had the power to do so as president — though there is an audio recording in which he seems to acknowledge after leaving office that he never took any sweeping action to declassify materials he harbored.
“I think the charge that seems most likely, I mean, it seems almost a slam dunk, is the one related to mishandling of classified documents,” Cassidy said. “I can’t comment on the rest of them, because apparently you have to prove state of mind. You’ll have attorneys after me that can comment on that.”
“They have a tape recording of him speaking of it,” Cassidy continued, discussing the documents case. “If that is proven, then we may have a candidate for president who has been convicted of a crime. I think Joe Biden needs to be replaced. But I don’t think Americans will vote for someone who’s been convicted.” Cassidy subsequently added that he believes Trump should exit the 2024 race. Recent polling from Ipsos and ABC News found that half of Americans agreed with Cassidy after the issuance of an indictment in Georgia that covers attempts there to upend the state’s election results from 2020, when Biden scored a narrow victory. Similar poll results have been found after Trump’s earlier indictments, which began with his still ongoing New York case connected to hush money that went to Stormy Daniels back in 2016.
Watch Cassidy’s new interview below:
