Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is not only tearing his party apart — he’s shattering friendships and lives, too. Matt Schlapp, former political director for George W. Bush, found himself in an tough position after expressing his support for the Republican presidential candidate.
His friends abandoned him and he no longer felt welcome among his former colleagues.
After arriving at a conservative cocktail party one night:
“…The conversation quickly ended … Everyone looked down at their expensive loafers … I hadn’t had that happen to me in a professional setting before … It’s one of those moments when you wonder, ‘Hey, do I have something on my face?'”
Schlapp isn’t alone. Ari Fleischer, another veteran of the George W. Bush Administration, had a similar experience after tweeting:
“There’s a lot about Donald Trump that I don’t like, but I’ll vote for Trump over Hillary any day.”
Fleischer’s former colleague Tony Fratto gave him an icy reply:
“Then we don’t have anything to say to each other.”
Ouch. Fratto later called Fleischer’s decision “unforgivable.”
There's a lot about Donald Trump that I don't like, but I'll vote for Trump over Hillary any day.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) May 4, 2016
Trump and the GOP Establishment
Even some Republican bigwigs have experienced this Republican backbiting. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, for instance, was widely disparaged by both parties for becoming Trump’s lapdog back in February.
Christie’s national finance co-chair, Meg Whitman, called Christie’s about-face “an astonishing display of political opportunism.” South Carolina’s Republican Governor, Nikki Hadley, agreed:
“Chris is a dear friend, but none of us understand why he did this.”
Since Trump is a blatant misogynist, Hadley and Whitman’s disgust at Christie’s decision is understandable.
On the whole, though, the GOP establishment has come to embrace Trump. Washington lawmakers seem to be immune from the relationship-ending drama that pro-Trumpers at the lower levels of the Republican political machine face.
Trump Fans Anonymous
One Trump fan, knowing what awaited him if he admitted support for the GOP presidential hopeful, wisely decided to keep his enthusiasm on the down-low. Even though the House staffer actually worked informally for Trump’s campaign, he’s chosen to keep his involvement a secret.
“Basically nobody knows what I’ve done. It’s not something I talk about openly at work, because there are a lot of strong feelings, still, among the staff. People talk openly against the guy.”
The obvious divisiveness of Trump’s campaign is a good thing. A weak, divided GOP will leave room for a progressive agenda to flourish.
But this secret love for Trump might also be cause for concern.
Back in July, Democratic pollster Celinda Lake discovered that the population of pro-Trump voters might be larger than we first thought.
So here’s a scary question: How many more shame-faced Republican staffers are spending their off-hours secretly moonlighting for their party’s nominee?
Check out this top 10 list of Republicans who really, really hate Trump:
Featured Image: Screenshot Via YouTube Video.
