Republican Lawmakers ‘Don’t Like’ Donald Trump, Says Former U.S. Ambassador To Russia

Former United States Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul appeared Friday on comedian Bill Maher’s HBO show, Real Time, to discuss pressing issues in American politics. During his discussion with the host, the seasoned diplomat touched upon the Republican Party’s nearly unanimous backing of President Donald Trump.

Per Raw Story, after Maher mocked and ridiculed the president, McFaul suggested that Republican lawmakers actually agree with the host, and privately trash Trump behind his back. Republicans, he said, do not actually like the commander-in-chief, but they put up with him.

“What really bothers me about folks like this. They don’t like Trump. They talk like you. I mean, they all talk like you,” he said. After being pressed by Maher to elaborate, McFaul explained that GOP lawmakers support Trump because they agree with his agenda and his policies, but disparage him during private discussions.

“When they’re talking in the family, that’s what they say among the family,” the former ambassador said.

“And yet when they come out in the public, then they care about taxes and other issues and maybe power, but they just forget about all this other stuff — and that is what I can’t respect.”

Trump’s approval rating among Republicans recently reached an all-time high. According to a poll conducted by HarrisX and The Hill, 90 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance. Conversely, only 16 percent of Democrats and 40 percent of Independents approve of the president.

Overall, according to the poll, Trump’s approval rating is 47 percent, and his disapproval rating is 53 percent. The survey was conducted between Jan. 3 and 4, before the beginning of the United States Senate’s impeachment trial of the president.

Trump’s popularity among Republicans, coupled with his authoritarian tendencies, could result in disaster in 2020, Maher suggested on his show. According to the comedian, Trump will dispute the results of the 2020 presidential election if he loses. The president, Maher predicted, will claim that the election was “rigged” and refuse to leave office.

“So my question to all Democratic candidates is, what’s the plan?” he asked, reminding the audience that Trump frequently brags about having the police, bikers, and the military on his side, which suggests that he would be willing to entice them to ensure he stays in power.

According to the comedian, the Democratic Party has still not come up with a plan to respond to such a scenario, and most Democrats still believe that the best and only way to remove Trump from office is by winning in a landslide.