It looks like not all Republicans are bound to ride or die with Donald Trump, according to insights from a former party insider. Recently, a former GOP senator hinted at a moment when Republicans might finally feel brave enough to distance themselves from the president. And believe it or not, it’s all about the calendar, not ethics.
During a chat on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Politico’s Jonathan Martin shared his conversation with this unnamed ex-senator. He stripped it down to two crucial words: “filing deadlines.” Yeah, that’s right! Those deadlines might just change the game for lawmakers.
“So, what’s the big deal about these deadlines?” Martin explained. They’re specifically tied to the 2024 primaries. Essentially, once those deadlines pass and lawmakers see who’s in the running, they’ll feel freer to express their true feelings. In plain terms, they’re waiting to be sure Trump can’t rally a MAGA rival who’s ready to jeopardize their jobs.
The theory suggests that come 2026, when that opportunity for new candidates slips away, those members of Congress, who have been holding their tongues, might finally speak out without fear.
This situation is exacerbated by Trump dragging along a hefty load of political headaches. Recent polls show his approval rating has plummeted to 38 percent—the worst since he took office again. Voters aren’t too thrilled about how he’s handling rising prices and the Epstein files scandal right now. And let’s not forget his party members grappling with various controversies, from alleged war crimes concerning Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Trump’s choice to pardon a former Honduran drug-trafficker president.
Martin continues, “This is just another weight on Congress members as they climb that political mountain,” referring to looming hearings about Hegseth’s potential international crimes. He prefaced this by comparing the burden to “Mount Trump,” highlighting the daily struggles they face in his shadow.
What Martin suggests is that the GOP isn’t adhering to a newly discovered ethical dilemma but is instead lingering in their positions for self-preservation. Once they can be absolutely sure that no Trump backers are poised to step into primaries, their public statements could shift quickly.
“These politicians care deeply about their positions and re-elections,” Martin said. “If they find out that there’s no primary challenger by that crucial date in 2026, it could pave the way for them to express how they really feel about what [right-wing commentator] George Will calls this ‘moral slum’ of an administration.”
George Will described this so-called “sickening moral slum” in a Washington Post piece, a phrase that’s been repeated by many critics of Trump, largely following some troubling incidents, including a Navy boat strike and the Hegseth scandal.
Right now, the majority of Republicans in Congress appear to still back Trump publicly—despite mounting private discontent. However, the insider’s account implies that many are simply waiting for the crucial date when primary filing deadlines elapse and the fear of a Trump-endorsed challenger fades away.
If the former senator’s prediction holds water, the real split from Trump won’t emerge through some flashy public event or frenetic votes. Instead, it will happen in a more subdued manner, when lawmakers finally see their chance to voice thoughts that have been simmering beneath the surface regarding the “moral slum” they’ve defended all this time.
