# Why hasn't George W. Bush spoken out against Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 23, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074 "2024-08-23T00:28:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/1 "2024-08-23T00:28:21Z")
Does he support Trump? If not, does he lack the courage to speak out against him? Or, has he done so, and I missed it? ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/2 "2024-08-23T00:30:36Z")
No lack of courage, I think he just doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/3 "2024-08-23T00:46:07Z")
He’s disliked by both Ds and Rs. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/4 "2024-08-23T00:49:51Z")
He’s generally old school in his belief that former presidents should largely stay out of the fray. I think that’s misguided given what’s at stake, but there you are. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/5 "2024-08-23T00:50:11Z")
Dubya apparently has a blanket policy of not commenting on his successors. I think he must’ve realized at some point that his time is done and nobody on either side of the aisle really cares to hear what he has to say anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/6 "2024-08-23T00:53:32Z")
He’s painting pictures of his feet. Busy man. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/7 "2024-08-23T00:54:22Z")
I think that (a) he’s largely distanced himself from making public statements about current politics, and (b) he wants to respect the office, even if he doesn’t particularly respect the occupant. In the wake of January 6th, he _did_ make some fairly stinging statements about the rioters, and the direction of the GOP; he also has apparently made some private comments about Trump, but he seems to simply want to stay clear of getting back into the political arena. [https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-04-20/george-w-bush-condemns-the-trump-era-republican-party](https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-04-20/george-w-bush-condemns-the-trump-era-republican-party) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/8 "2024-08-23T00:54:54Z")
It’s not as if he would accomplish anything by speaking out. The Trump faction of the party doesn’t care what traditional Republicans say or think. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/9 "2024-08-23T01:02:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It’s not as if he would accomplish anything by speaking out. Agreed. The fact that that the last Republican president before Trump, despite being in good health, was not at the convention last month, is close to extraordinary. [Consider:](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/18/george-w-bush-talk-about-trump/73955379007/) > [@](#): > > After the [attempted insurrection by Trump loyalists](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/18/george-w-bush-condemns-attack-capitol-i-sick-my-stomach/4723510001/) on Jan. 6, 2021, Bush issued a statement saying that he and [Laura Bush](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2023/11/06/jenna-bush-hager-laura-bush-birthday-dinner-photos/71478814007/) found it “a sickening and heartbreaking sight.” > > While, again, not citing Trump by name, Bush added: “This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic.” > > In describing Bush’s approach, Fleischer said: “He doesn’t attack, but he knows how to roll his eyes at things he doesn’t like.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/10 "2024-08-23T01:20:06Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > It’s not as if he would accomplish anything by speaking out. > > Agreed. > > The fact that that the last Republican president before Trump, despite being in good health, was not at the convention last month, is close to extraordinary. > > [Consider:](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/18/george-w-bush-talk-about-trump/73955379007/) > > > [@](#): > > > > After the [attempted insurrection by Trump loyalists](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/18/george-w-bush-condemns-attack-capitol-i-sick-my-stomach/4723510001/) on Jan. 6, 2021, Bush issued a statement saying that he and [Laura Bush](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2023/11/06/jenna-bush-hager-laura-bush-birthday-dinner-photos/71478814007/) found it “a sickening and heartbreaking sight.” > > > > While, again, not citing Trump by name, Bush added: “This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic.” > > > > In describing Bush’s approach, Fleischer said: “He doesn’t attack, but he knows how to roll his eyes at things he doesn’t like.” The last Republican nominee is clearly and vocally against Trump. Bush has pretty clearly stayed out of the political fray much like his father. The fact that the Bush family became friends with the Clintons and Obamas means that no Republican would listen to him. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/11 "2024-08-23T01:30:36Z")
Just want to pop in and agree with those that are saying that W seems to have had very little interest in politics since he left office. I was not at all a fan in any way shape or form of Bush when he was in office. But these days he seems more interested in pursuing his art hobby. And I say more power to him. He’s part of that “former presidents club” along with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and he has made a public appearances with them. I also do remember that statement he released after January 6th. It seems pretty clear what his personal opinions are on the current Republican Party and Trump. But my guess is he doesn’t want to get involved in the drama. Frankly I can’t blame him. As others have pointed out I don’t think him saying anything publicly at this point would have any effect on anything anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/12 "2024-08-23T01:43:58Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The fact that the Bush family became friends with the Clintons and Obamas means that no Republican would listen to him. The fact that he called our country a democratic republic guarantees that today’s rebublicans won’t listen to him. They’re all about “the United States is a republic, not a democracy” now. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/13 "2024-08-23T01:57:23Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > In the wake of January 6th, he _did_ make some fairly stinging statements about the rioters, and the direction of the GOP; he also has apparently made some private comments about Trump, but he seems to simply want to stay clear of getting back into the political arena. His speech where he compared the Jan 6 folks to the 9/11 terrorists was pretty strong. He said something like that he sees the “same dark spirit” in them. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/14 "2024-08-23T02:02:20Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > Just want to pop in and agree with those that are saying that W seems to have had very little interest in politics since he left office. This is basically true, but he endorsed McCain and Romney. Three times he has had an opportunity to endorse Trump, and three times he has not. For example, 2016: > [@](#): > > [George W. Bush](https://www.texastribune.org/directory/george-w-bush/) said he congratulated President-elect Donald Trump for his victory Wednesday, a day after a spokesman confirmed the former president [chose to not cast a ballot for president](https://www.texastribune.org/2016/11/08/bush-43-voted-neither-trump-nor-clinton/) rather than vote for his party’s nominee. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/15 "2024-08-23T02:04:49Z")
Dude attended Trump’s inauguration and immediately said, “That was some weird shit,” when Trump was done. I sometimes think we don’t talk enough about the horrific speech Trump gave at his inauguration. It was something else. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/16 "2024-08-23T02:12:49Z")
He tried to support Jeb when he was running against Trump in the primaries and that ended up pretty bad. Trump said a lot of bad shit about both of them and they both just kind of slunk away in defeat. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/17 "2024-08-23T02:55:45Z")
Quite frankly, I’ve never cared about anything Dubya has to say. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/18 "2024-08-23T03:36:18Z")
I dunno. Listen to him here talking about immigration in a way that would get him ousted today. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l16tPdgQzYk/hqdefault.jpg "George W. Bush on Immigration") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l16tPdgQzYk) ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/19 "2024-08-23T03:47:21Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > The fact that that the last Republican president before Trump, despite being in good health, was not at the convention last month, is close to extraordinary. The fact that a past president, a past first lady and two past vice presidents were not willing to support them says so much about the Republican party. They have cut off the old conservative guard and are now only the party of Trump. In contrast, the Democrats have embraced their past and presented a united and continuous front in the fight to try to do what’s best for the country. They drew a progressive line from Clinton to Harris. The Trumpers have lost any connection to their past which just leaves them hate and fear. I hope it destroys them. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074/20 "2024-08-23T03:58:31Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The Trump faction of the party doesn’t care what traditional Republicans say or think. Oh, that’s not true. They care what “traditional Republicans” say and think, and have actually gone to great lengths to [persecute them for doing so](https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/23/politics/arizona-gop-censure-mccain-flake-ducey/index.html), even when those people don’t have any political ambitions of their own. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I sometimes think we don’t talk enough about the horrific speech Trump gave at his inauguration. It was something else. But when it is just one of (very) many, it is hard to keep track. Personally, I think the point at which he advised people to drink bleach and somehow inject ultraviolet light into their bloodstream was a true nadir of…well, any kind of reason or compassion, but when there are so many low points to pick from it is difficult to focus on a single offense. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > Listen to him here talking about immigration in a way that would get him ousted today. I mean, this was basic Republican policy up until 2001, because immigrants are generally socially conservative and tend as much as not to vote Republican, and also pay more than their share of taxes while demanding few benefits. The entire modern anti-immigrant stance is a manufactured issue to produce a bogeyman to scare “red-blooded Americans” that the “illegals” are all coming to rape our women and take our shitty, poor paying jobs picking lettuce and cleaning toilets. Stranger [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-george-w-bush-spoken-out-against-trump/1006074.md?page=2)