‘Liar,’ ‘Loser,’ And ‘National Security Threat’: Will Hurd Rips Into Trump, Gives Searing Definition of What Is a ‘Modern Republican’
Former Texas congressman and longshot GOP presidential candidate, Will Hurd, joined Margaret Hoover on PBS’s Firing Line for an interview that airs Friday night. PBS dropped some preview clips from the interview earlier in the day and showed Hurd tearing into GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump is a liar. Donald Trump is a loser. And Donald Trump is a national security threat to the United States of America,” Hurd says in one of the clips.
Hoover responds by asking, “Why does the base of the party continue to support him?”
“There is a percentage of the party that’s going to support Donald Trump no matter what,” Hurd replies.
In a longer exchange, Hoover asks Hurd to explain to her what he means when he advertises himself as a “modern Republican.”
“The words ‘Will Hurd, a modern Republican,’ appear in a link to your 2024 presidential campaign website. What does it mean to be a modern Republican?” Hoover asked.
“A modern Republican is someone that believes that the United States built an international order after World War Two that benefited us. And if we don’t defend that, that’s going to impact us. A modern Republican is someone that recognizes we should be able to secure the border, but we have to have humanity in dealing with the people that are coming here illegally. A modern Republican is someone that understands that we have income inequality because we have education inequality. A modern Republican is someone who’s more interested in fighting war criminals like Vladimir Putin than discriminating against our friends in the LGBTQ community. That is what a modern Republican is,” Hurd replied, throwing shade at some of the more extreme elements of his party.
“The vision you just laid out is going to resonate with moderate GOP voters. Trump’s vise grip on the base of the party has been demoralizing to moderate Republican voters. How do you plan to invigorate them?” Hoover followed up.
“Well, look, it starts with speaking truth to power and not being afraid,” Hurd answered, adding:
You know, I had a speech impediment up until, you know, late middle school, early high school. I had a size 14 shoe when I was in the fifth grade. My head’s been this size since I was four years old. Right. So, you know, I have an aversion to bullies because of my experiences as a kid. And one of the things my mother and my father always taught me was be honest.
And the way you invigorate all those people that are frustrated and the way you inspire the independents and the center left Dems who are sick and tired of the direction the Democratic Party is going is by being honest. And I was recently in Iowa and spoke at a group that had a lot of of Donald Trump supporters, and I had to break the news to them that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.
Watch the full clip above via PBS.
