Former President Donald Trump called Republican strategist Karl Rove “a RINO of the highest order,” saying Fox News should “get rid” of him, according to a statement from his Save America political action committee.
Rove wrote an op-ed Wednesday regarding a so-called “muted enthusiasm” for the former president after a straw poll indicated 68% of Trump’s supporters at CPAC said they wanted him to run again in 2024.
“Never had much of a feeling for Karl, in that I disagreed with so many of the things he says. He’s a pompous fool with bad advice and always has an agenda,” Trump wrote in a statement after the chief strategist under former President George W. Bush criticized him.
Trump added that the strategist’s voice on Fox News “is always negative for those who know how to win. He certainly hasn’t helped Fox in the ratings department, has he?”
KARL ROVE AND THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
Trump blamed Rove over the defeat of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Georgia special election for the U.S. Senate in January.
“Should have been an easy win but he and his friend Mitch [McConnell] blew it,” Trump said, referencing the Senate minority leader’s refusal to budge from offering $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks in the final spending package under the former president’s administration.
Referencing the 15 seats Republicans gained in the House following the Nov. 3 election, the former president said the party “would have lost 25 seats” without himself as the running candidate, adding “Karl’s friend Mitch” would have lost his reelection had Trump not endorsed the Kentucky senator.
In February, Trump released a statement on McConnell criticizing him and suggesting he would endorse primary rivals to the longtime senator.
McConnell would “absolutely” support whoever the Republican candidate is in the 2024 election, he said Feb. 25.
Trump touted his online viewership for his appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday, which was held in Orlando.
“Thirty-one million people listened to my CPAC speech online, and it had among the largest television audience of the week, even though it was on cable at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon,” Trump said.
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He jabbed at Rove several times in his Thursday statement, adding, “Karl Rove is all talk and no action! Next time Karl, save your Election night phone call and keep doing a great job for the Democrats.”
Fox News did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
