Indiana Republican Senator Todd Young made an announcement on Thursday, May 11, stating that he will not back former president Donald Trump in his campaign to regain the presidency next year. Young’s stance comes shortly after Trump’s CNN town hall, and it is not unexpected given the strain in their relationship following the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. Young holds Trump responsible for the events of that day, asserting that his rhetoric incited many of his supporters to assault the Capitol.
In his conversation with journalists, Young stated that he has no plans to endorse Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. He also expressed his disapproval of certain remarks made by the former president during the CNN town hall, specifically regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Trump claimed that he could resolve the war within a day if elected president but did not reveal his preference for either Russia or Ukraine to emerge as the victor. Despite this, he garnered applause from the audience by expressing his desire to bring an end to the conflict in order to prevent further loss of life.
When reporters inquired about Trump’s aforementioned remarks, Young asserted that the former president’s assessment was incorrect, specifically highlighting the extensive engagement of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin in committing war crimes during their invasion of Ukraine.
Regarding his decision not to endorse Trump’s candidacy, Young expressed that there were numerous factors contributing to his stance, making it difficult to pinpoint a starting point. Furthermore, he declined to disclose which Republican candidate he intends to support instead of the former commander-in-chief.
A minimum of nine Republican Senators have shown their backing for Donald Trump’s candidacy for the presidency, among them JD Vance from Ohio and Lindsey Graham from South Carolina. Lindsey Graham’s situation is noteworthy as he has also made favorable comments regarding the potential presidential campaign of Ron DeSantis, the Republican Governor of Florida, who polls consistently indicate as the second-most likely candidate to secure the party’s nomination after Trump.
