Former President George W. Bush has once again chosen to stay out of presidential politics, refusing to endorse any candidate in the 2024 election. Bush’s decision not to back President Donald Trump is part of a larger pattern of neoconservatives distancing themselves from Trump, who has focused on avoiding foreign wars during his presidency.
Bush’s office confirmed that he and his wife, Laura, will not endorse a candidate or reveal how they plan to vote. This follows his actions in 2016 and 2020, when he similarly refused to back Trump. In 2020, Bush went so far as to write in Condoleezza Rice for president, signaling his dissatisfaction with both major candidates.
Many conservatives continue to criticize Bush for his role in the Iraq War, which left a lasting impact on the U.S. Trump, by contrast, has won praise from his supporters for keeping America out of new conflicts during his time in office. The contrast between Bush’s interventionist approach and Trump’s non-interventionist policies has only deepened the divide within the Republican Party.
Bush’s announcement comes one day after former Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed Kamala Harris. Cheney, who served as Bush’s right-hand man during the Iraq War, attacked Trump, calling him a danger to the republic. Trump responded by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO,” further highlighting the ongoing rift between Trump and the neoconservative establishment.
As the 2024 election approaches, the refusal of neoconservatives like Bush and Cheney to support Trump underscores the ideological battle within the GOP over America’s role in the world.
