The Shifting Alliances: Six Trump Ex-Allies Who Became His Fiercest Critics
In the realm of U.S. politics, former President Donald Trump is, perhaps, one of the few individuals who holds the unique distinction of having an extensive roster of once-loyal allies and aides who have either severed ties with him or found themselves on the receiving end of his vexation. The intricate web of relationships, shaped by political dynamics and personal clashes, has produced a set of high-profile figures who were once a part of Trump’s inner circle but are now his most vocal critics and have become his formidable adversaries, as per CNN .
1. Mike Pence
Mike Pence, who served as the 48th Vice President of the United States from 2017 to 2021, found himself at odds with Trump over the certification of the 2020 election results. Pence’s refusal to overturn the results led to a notable war, with Pence asserting, “The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution… Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.”
2. Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina and his first U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, once praised Trump’s foreign policy. However, her opinion changed as she mocked Trump’s handling of international affairs, specifically regarding the Ukraine incident, asserting, “He used to be good on foreign policy, and now he has started to walk it back and get weak in the knees when it comes to Ukraine. A terrible thing happened on January 6, and he called it a beautiful day.”
3. Chris Christie
Former federal prosecutor and politician Christopher James Christie served as the 55th Governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Between 2002 and 2008, he also served as United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. But that’s not all, since he was also Trump’s presidential transfer vice-chairman and staunch supporter. But then, Christie’s views changed in the wake of the Jan. 6 riots, and he went on to say that Trump was “someone who I would argue now is just out for himself.”
4. Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos, a philanthropist and conservative political activist, once served as the 11th U.S. Secretary of Education and resigned from her position following the events of January 6. Disappointed by former President Trump’s response to the Capitol insurrection, DeVos exclaimed, “When I saw what was happening on January 6 and didn’t see the president step in and do what he could have done to turn it back, or slow it down, or really address the situation, it was just obvious to me that I couldn’t continue.”
5. Michael Cohen
Between 2006 and 2018, Michael Dean Cohen served as an attorney for Trump and eventually became the Vice President of the Trump Organization. But it was also alleged that Cohen acted as Trump’s ‘fixer,’ as is evident in this report by NPR . When Trump was the POTUS, Cohen was right by his side. However, the lawyer filed a lawsuit against the Trump Organization in early 2019, alleging that his legal fees were not reimbursed after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges that he allegedly committed at Trump’s direction. His fallout with Trump marked a prominent shift in their relationship, as he asserted, “Donald’s an idiot.”
6. Gen. Mark Milley
Retired Gen. Mark Milley, who served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (and was appointed to the same by ex-US President Trump), took a principled stance against Trump’s actions. Miley emphasized, “We don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” In September of this year, Milley, when accused of committing a ‘treasonous act’ by Trump for talking to a Chinese general, reiterated the sentiment. “As much as these comments are directed at me, it’s also directed at the institution of the military. And there [are] 2.1 million of us in uniform… If we’re willing to die for that document, if we’re willing to deploy to combat, if we’re willing to lose an arm, a leg, an eye, to protect and support and defend that document and protect the American people, then we are willing to live for it, too,” he said, as per CNN .