Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., continued his war of words Tuesday against former President Donald Trump, calling his CPAC speech "boring" and lambasting one of Trump's staunchest supporters, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., as being "smug" during his address to the conservative weekend audience.
"I thought the first time we had heard Donald Trump speak, it would be shocking," Kinzinger told CNN's "New Day" of Trump's address, the first made after he left the White House. "He could have given that speech in September.
"No new ideas," he continued. "To me, it looked like someone that just needed his monthly dose of adoration in front of a crowd. I really was bored."
He also said he really is not worried about his future as a party outsider because he might lose an election, as he will "move on." But he is worried about the direction of the GOP, even if he does think Trump's influence will continue to fade.
"We just do move on from has-beens and from losers and Donald Trump is a loser," Kinzinger said.
Hawley is clearly eying a presidential race in his future, Kinzinger added, but he has his doubts the truth will come out about the Capitol riot, including Hawley's push against confirming the Electoral College's vote for President Joe Biden.
"All you have to do is see Josh Hawley's smug face at CPAC as he stood in front getting his adulation from the crowd," Kinzinger said. "He's out there feeling great about it.
"I'm probably as conservative as he is. The difference is I am not going to use the Constitution as a prop to get elected and violate the Constitution as a prop to get elected. He knew. He knew he shouldn't have objected to those results."
Kinzinger also attacked former Amb. Nikki Haley for her return to backing Trump after slamming him in an interview earlier this year.
"You can't walk a tightrope if you're a Republican leader, especially if you're looking for 2024," he said. "You have to pick a lane. You're either a Trump first Republican like Josh Hawley, like Ted Cruz, or you're a country first Republican."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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