Republican Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), whose relationship with former President Trump has frayed after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, said Thursday he won’t be backing the former president’s bid to return to the White House, one day after Trump’s controversial CNN town hall.
“I don’t intend to support him for the Republican nomination,” Young told reporters Thursday.
The senator dinged Trump for his comments on the war in Ukraine during the town hall, with the former president declining even to say whether he wanted Ukraine or Russia to win the war. Instead, he said he just wanted the conflict to be settled.
“I think President Trump’s judgment is wrong in this case,” the Indiana Republican said. “President [Vladimir] Putin and his government have been engaged in war crimes. I don’t believe that’s disputed.”
When asked what his reason was for refusing to endorse Trump, who has a commanding lead in GOP primary polls, Young replied, “Where do I begin?”
Young did not pick up an endorsement from Trump in his 2022 reelection campaign after the lawmaker said the former president bore responsibility for what happened on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump has picked up the official support of at least nine Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and JD Vance (Ohio). No other sitting senator has come out to endorse a candidate other than Trump.
Young did not say which candidate he planned to support in lieu of Trump.