Congress October 10, 2019

GOP Congressman Says He Will No Longer Support Donald Trump

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 02: Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Ranking Member John Shimkus (R-IL) speaks during a House Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill on April 2, 2019 in Washington, DC. Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA) testified before the committee. Inslee, who is a candidate for president in 2020, has said that he will make climate change the centerpiece of his campaign. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) is now part of the small minority of GOP politicians speaking out against Donald Trump. The president’s controversial move in Northern Syria was the final straw for him. KMOX radio (St. Louis) writes:

Just hours after the decision to leave Syrian Kurds to fend for themselves against Turkey, Illinois Congressman John Shimkus calls the President’s decision “terrible and despicable.”
Shimkus goes on to tell KMOX’s Mark Reardon that he told staff “to take my name off the I support Donald Trump list” and that he is “saddened for the Kurdish people.”

Shimkus added:

“We have just stabbed our allies in the back. The Kurds go back all the way to the first Gulf war. We protected their air space in the no-fly zone. They have all been loyal US allies and supporters. This is just shocked, embarrassed and angered me.”

While many Republicans have also spoken out against Trump, we haven’t heard any others go as far as Shimkus saying he will no longer support Trump. One thing that may have made it easier for the Congressman to verbalize this? He has announced he won’t be seeking re-election.