GOP senators shrug off Mattis' criticism of Trump: 'It's his opinion'

[spanone]

JUST AS I SUSPECTED

(CNN)Republican senators are dismissing the scathing criticism leveled against President Donald Trump by his former defense secretary, James Mattis, the latest sign that Republicans by and large are showing unwavering support for the leader of their party during this high-stakes election year.

Mattis, who has widespread support among Senate Republicans for his long military service to the country, contended that Trump "does not even pretend to try" to unite the country and is instead engaged in a "deliberate effort" to divide the country, while lacking "mature leadership." Mattis excoriated Trump's decision to hold a photo-op Monday at a church near the White House, saying troops were ordered to "violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens" who were protesting but were cleared out by police with force to make way for the President's visit.

The criticism, however, was met with a shrug of the shoulders by several senior Republicans on Thursday.

"It's Gen. Mattis' opinion, he's free to express it," Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told CNN. Asked again if he agreed with any of the criticism, Johnson said: "All I'm going to say about Gen. Mattis is I do respect him. He's a great American. It's his opinion to express it."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/politics/republican-senators-reaction-mattis/index.html

[coti]

1. That's not even a denial of what he said. nt

[riversedge]

2. THE GOP needs to shrug off Tom Cottons opioion also

[BootinUp]

3. His non fucking partisan opinion. Nt

[secondwind]

4. My god! They are incorrigible. What a disgrace!

[Ohiogal]

5. Just as I expected

from his cult.