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Asked if he would vote for Trump in 2024, Esper told MSNBC,
"No," making him one of the first Trump Cabinet members to
openly reject their former boss for another White House run.
"Any elected official needs to meet some basic criteria: They
need to be able to put country over self. They need to have a
certain level of integrity and principle. They need to be able
to reach across the aisle and bring people together and unite
the country. Donald Trump doesn't meet those marks for me," he
said.
Instead, the former defense chief urged his political party seek
new leadership and focus on four core issues -- a strong
military, lower taxes, deregulation and conservative judges --
before midterm congressional elections in November and the 2024
presidential contest.
Trump, who lost his re-election bid to Democrat Joe Biden in
2020, has not declared his candidacy but has repeatedly said his
supporters will be "happy."
Trump faces multiple investigations, including over his
company's financial dealings, his handling of classified
documents and his role in his supporters' attack on the U.S.
Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in an effort to block Biden's win.
Other Republicans, including Trump's former Attorney General
Bill Barr and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell -- who have
both drawn Trump's ire - have said they would back the party's
presidential pick in 2024 even if it is Trump.
Esper, who like Barr is selling a book detailing his time in the
Trump administration, has called Trump a threat to democracy in
recent media interviews. Trump, in response, called Esper "weak
and totally ineffective."
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Nick
Zieminski)
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