Trump Endorses Trump-Bashing Congressman as Maggie Haberman Reports He’s in ‘Friend-Making Mode’
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Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) on Monday amid New York Times senior political reporter Maggie Haberman’s reporting that the former president, whom Cole has a record of criticizing, is in “friend-making mode” due to the investigations against him.
In a statement, Trump said:
Congressman Tom Cole is always fighting for Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District.
Tom is working hard to Stop Inflation, Promote American Energy Independence, Secure the Border, Grow the Economy, Protect Life, Support our Veterans, and Strongly Defend the Second Amendment.
Tom Cole is a widely respected Representative, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement!
“In last few weeks, Trump has congratulated Nancy Mace, whom he’d savaged and who beat his supported candidate, and endorsed Tom Cole, who’s been critical of him. A smart adviser to him describes the under-investigation Trump as in ‘friend-making mode’ with lawmakers,” tweeted Haberman on Monday.
In last few weeks, Trump has congratulated Nancy Mace, whom he’d savaged and who beat his supported candidate, and endorsed Tom Cole, who’s been critical of him. A smart adviser to him describes the under-investigation Trump as in “friend-making mode” with lawmakers.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 27, 2022
Trump has been under investigations on the federal level and in Georgia, New York and Washington, D.C., on issues ranging from the 2020 election to his business.
Cole has a history of criticizing Trump.
In March 2017, when Trump was almost a few months in office, Cole said Trump should apologize for accusing his predecessor, Barack Obama, of wiretapping him.
“I see no indication that that’s true,” said Cole. “And so it’s not a charge I would have ever made. And frankly, unless you can produce some pretty compelling proof, then I think the president, you know, President Obama is owed an apology in that regard.”
The following November, Cole labeled Trump calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) “Pocahontas” – a reference to Warren claiming Native American heritage – as “insensitive and unnecessary.”
In July 2019, Cole called out Trump’s xenophobic tweet telling minority members of the far-left congressional group The Squad to go back to where they’re from.
“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came,” he tweeted.
Cole told NPR that while Trump’s tweet was not racist it was “inappropriate and offensive.”
