Former President Donald Trump’s federal indictment has sparked different responses from his potential rivals in the 2024 Republican primary.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and author, said he would pardon Trump if he became president, arguing that the indictment was politically motivated and an abuse of power.
“I think this is a witch hunt,” Ramaswamy said on Fox News Sunday. “I think this is an example of weaponizing the criminal justice system to settle political scores.”
Asa Hutchinson, the governor of Arkansas, took a more cautious approach, saying he would wait for the legal process to play out before making any judgment on Trump’s guilt or innocence.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on an ongoing criminal case,” Hutchinson said on CNN’s State of the Union. “I think we have to respect the rule of law and let that take its course.”
Trump faces charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy and abuse of office for allegedly withholding classified documents from Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller during their investigations into his 2016 campaign and Russian interference.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and called the indictment a “continuation of the greatest witch hunt in American history.”
The indictment could have significant implications for the 2024 presidential race, as Trump has not ruled out running for a second term and remains popular among Republican voters.
According to a recent poll by The Hill/HarrisX, Trump leads the field of potential GOP candidates with 44% support, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence with 12% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 10%.
Ramaswamy and Hutchinson are among the lesser-known contenders who have announced or expressed interest in challenging Trump for the Republican nomination.
This article is based on this report by MSN.
