Maybe Donald Trump was hedging his bets.
In mid-April, the former president endorsed J.D. Vance in Ohio’s GOP primary for an open U.S. Senate seat. Trump’s support buoyed Vance’s fledgling campaign and dealt a blow to his chief Republican rival, Josh Mandel.
But over the weekend, Trump appeared to confuse the two men. Appearing at a rally in Nebraska, Trump told the crowd “We’ve endorsed JP, right? JD Mandel, and he’s doing great. They’re all doing good,” Trump said.
Mike Gibbons, another hopeful for the GOP nod in Ohio, seized on Trump’s gaffe to criticize Vance. In an email to donors, Gibbons wrote: “To be fair, you really can’t blame Trump. No one knows who the real JD Vance is, as his views change faster than the weather in Ohio.”
Newsweek points out the irony of Trump’s mistake:
The error came after Trump called for Biden to undergo cognitive testing and bragged about his own perfect results.
“Once and for all, Joe Biden should put the question to rest by taking a cognitive test … releasing the results for the entire world to see,” Trump said.
Trump bragged about the results of his own cognitive test and said former White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson once called him a “perfect specimen.”
Business Insider provides additional context:
During the rally, Trump acknowledged that Vance had said bad things about him in the past but said he has “put that aside.”
“He’s a guy that said some bad shit about me. He did. He did. But you know what? Every one of the others did also. In fact if I went by that standard I don’t think I would have ever endorsed anybody in the country,” Trump said.
He added Vance was “tough” and “smart” and had the best chance of winning the Senate seat.
The Guardian adds:
Trump’s rally on Sunday was in support of Charles Herbster, a candidate for governor in Nebraska who – like Trump – faces accusations of sexual assault and misconduct.
“I defend people when I know they’re good,” Trump said. “A lot of people, they look at you and say: ‘You don’t have to do it, sir.’ I defend my friends.”
