President Donald Trump endorsed Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican accused of sexually harassing and assaulting teens, in a Monday morning tweet.
The endorsement was a stunning reversal of White House policy on Moore as fears in the West Wing that a Republican loss in the special election could stymie the president’s agenda.
Trump hinged his support for the U.S. Senate candidate on the weekend’s tax cut vote, when legislation advanced in the upper chamber with the barest of majorities and no votes from Democrats.
‘Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama,’ Trump said. ‘We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!’
President Donald Trump endorsed Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican accused of sexually harassing and assaulting teens, in a Monday morning tweet
The president had mulled an appearance with Moore in Alabama before the Dec. 12 special election to replace Jeff Sessions. The White House put the kibosh on it last week, as it attempted to put distance between the controversial Republican candidate and the president
The tax cut vote appeared to change Trump’s mind about Moore, who has been accused of inappropriate conduct with minors when he was in his ’30s
The president had mulled an appearance with Moore in Alabama before the Dec. 12 special election to replace Jeff Sessions. The White House put the kibosh on it last week, as it attempted to put distance between the controversial Republican candidate and the president.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during a news conference that the president’s schedule ‘doesn’t permit him doing anything between now and Election Day’ a week ago on Monday.
Trump had walked a fine line between backing Moore and acknowledging that the allegations against him were troubling.
He signaled to reporters just before Thanksgiving, as he left the White House for his Florida property, that he was conflicted about Moore.
‘Look, he denies it,’ Trump said. ‘He totally denies it. He says it didn’t happen. And, you know, you have to listen to him also. You’re talking about, he said 40 years ago this did not happen.’
The president did not endorse Moore in his exchange with reporters, although his comments were seen as a major boost to him.
‘I can tell you one thing for sure: We don’t need a liberal person in there, a Democrat — Jones,’ he said of Moore’s general election opponent. ‘I’ve looked at his record. It’s terrible on crime. It’s terrible on the border. It’s terrible on the military.
‘I can tell you for a fact, we do not need somebody that’s going to be bad on crime, bad on borders, bad with the military, bad for the Second Amendment.’
The tax cut vote appeared to change Trump’s calculus on Moore, who has been accused of inappropriate conduct with minors when he was in his ’30s.
Trump endorsed the former Alabama Supreme Court judge as he prepared to leave the White House for Utah.
Republicans have a thin majority of 52 votes in the U.S. Senate. Their caucus currently includes appointed-Alabama Republican Luther Strange. If Moore is unsuccessful in winning election, Republicans will have a single-vote advantage over Democrats.