Ex-Republican Congressman Roasts ‘Unique Shamefulness’ of ‘Lindsey Graham and Others’ Who ‘Faceplant on the Knee of Donald Trump’

Former Rep. David Jolly (R-FL) did not hold back in condemning what he called the “unique shamefulness” exhibited by members of his former party who blindly follow “leader” Donald Trump.

Jolly made the comment while discussing members of Congress who have become apologists for the former president. MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez cited Rep. Mike Turner’s (R-OH) weekend appearance on Meet The Press, where he refused to condemn Trump’s threats toward NATO-member nations and said he’d let Russia “do whatever the hell they want.”

“This is what I know,” Turner said. “Donald Trump’s political rallies don’t really translate into Donald Trump’s actual policies.”

“Except the problem is, David, they often do,” MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez said on Monday’s Deadline: White House.

“I think there is a unique shamefulness to see Mike Turner, Tim Scott, Lindsey Graham, and others engage in this type of apologism, if you will, for their own political interest,” Jolly said. “To faceplant on the knee of Donald Trump. They do it very well, from Graham to Scott to Mike Turner to Elise Stefanik — name ’em. There is a unique shamefulness to it.”

Jolly continued:

I think what we also can’t overlook, though — and this is a little bit of what we see from Mike Turner there — is the orthodoxy of the Republican Party has shifted over the decades. I don’t believe the Republican Party today sees Russia as an adversary. I don’t believe they see Vladimir Putin as uniquely evil.

And that is a pivot from GOP orthodoxy. I think what is so fascinating about that, as concerning as it is, sure — there are national security interests for the U.S. and the West to no longer see… Vladimir Putin as an adversary if Republicans take control, or if Donald Trump ends up in the White House.

World leaders condemned Putin over the weekend as responsible for the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. When Trump was asked for a “statement,” he offered a Truth Social post that made no mention of Navalny or Putin.

“Today’s Republican Party has embraced American weakness,” Jolly said. “They are okay looking the other way and giving equity to Vladimir Putin and Russia, and that’s not just a pivot of orthodoxy, that’s a new chapter of republicanism, this chapter of American weakness that they are willing to run on. Hopefully, voters do see a distinction there.”

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.