CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins pressed Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) about his past comments criticizing Donald Trump after he endorsed the former president’s re-election bid.
Good, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, initially endorsed Ron DeSantis (R) for president. Minutes after the Florida governor announced he is dropping out of the race, Good offered his “complete and total endorsement” to Trump, calling him the “greatest president of my lifetime.”
But, Good has been critical of Trump in the past. Months ago he said Republicans would “regret” nominating him in 2024.
On Monday, Collins noted that Good was on camera criticizing the former president.
“That video was created by a campaign opponent who sliced it up and edited it to take out the complimentary praise statements that I said about President Trump. It’s a highly edited video provided by a campaign operative from my opponent,” Good said before Collins played the clip.
“So, you didn’t say those things that you’re on camera saying?” Collins asked. “I mean, you’re on camera.”
“You take part of the sentences out, and you get a different conclusion from that sentence or a different inference from that sentence,” Good responded.
Collins then aired the video of Good’s remarks in which he said: “I decided to endorse Desantis in May because I felt, you know what? I can’t sit by and watch, and then regret that we nominated Trump.”
“You are on camera saying those things, Congressman,” Collins said.
Good claimed the video was edited to remove “the part where I praise President Trump and I said he was the greatest president of my lifetime and that I don’t criticize President Trump.”
He continued: “I’m just supporting Governor DeSantis and explaining to someone who was asking me, ‘Well, why did you make that endorsement decision?’ And I’m explaining that to them, but I thought in the battleground states that Governor DeSantis would give us a better chance to win.”
Trump supporters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, slammed Good’s endorsement of DeSantis. It has also earned him a primary challenge from state Sen. John McGuire.
