Many Republicans, sometimes longstanding or high‑profile ones, have spoken out negatively about Donald Trump over the years. Below is a list of some of them — along with what they criticized him for or publicly said.
JD Vance
JD Vance once called Donald Trump “America’s Hitler.” The remark came in a private 2016 message to a former law-school roommate, where Vance wrote: “I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a**hole like Nixon who wouldn’t be that bad … or that he’s America’s Hitler.”
The message was made public in 2022 (shared by the roommate) and repeatedly confirmed by press fact-checks. – Snopes.com
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio did refer to Donald Trump as a “con artist” during the 2016 Republican primary. Rubio made the comment in February 2016 while criticizing Trump’s business practices, particularly pointing out the now-infamous Trump University and the way Trump conducted his business.
At one point, Rubio said, “He’s a con artist. He’s a fraud. He’s been swindling people for years.” This was part of a broader attack on Trump’s credibility and qualifications to be president, which Rubio made as he sought to differentiate himself in the crowded GOP field.
RFK Jr
In a text message exchange reported by The New Yorker, Kennedy called Trump “a terrible human being,” “the worst president ever,” “barely human,” and said “He’s probably a sociopath.” – TotalNews.com
RFK Jr did use the term “sociopath” to describe Trump, though it was reportedly in private texts, not (publicly) in a speech at that time. – The Guardian
Pete Hegseth
In a clip from March 2016 (during the Republican primary) shows Hegseth saying: “It’s typical Trump: all bluster, very little substance … he talks a tough game … but then when pressed on it, he’s an armchair tough guy.” Mediaite.com and IB Times
Tulsi Gabbard
There is credible record that Tulsi Gabbard did call Donald Trump “Saudi Arabia’s bitch.” In November 2018 she tweeted, “Hey @realDonaldTrump: being Saudi Arabia’s bitch is not ‘America First.’” – Star Advertiser
Elise Stefanik – House GOP conference chair
According to multiple news reports, Elise Stefanik has been reported to once have called Donald Trump a “whack job.” – Mediaite.com
A profile in The New York Times reportedly obtained a message in which she described Trump as a “whack job.”
Mitt Romney
In 2016, he delivered a major public rebuke during the primaries, calling Trump “a phony, a fraud” and saying he lacked “the temperament nor the judgment to be president.” – KPCW
After the 2017 Charlottesville events, he condemned Trump’s comments that blamed “many sides,” calling that moral equivalence wrong. – The Guardian
Jeff Flake
After deciding not to seek re‑election (2017), he used a Senate floor speech to harshly denounce the Trump administration — calling it destructive to norms and accusing Trump of using “reckless, outrageous and undignified” behavior. He said Trump had “debased” the presidency and criticized his rhetoric, character, and impact on American institutions. – – Wikipedia
Adam Kinzinger
Though he initially voted with Trump on many things, he later broke with him, particularly after the 2020 election and 2021 Capitol riot. He called Trump “unfit” and “unwell,” urged invoking the 25th Amendment, and voted for Trump’s second impeachment. He also condemned conspiracy theories (like QAnon) that became associated with segments of Trump’s base. – Wikipedia
Ben Sasse
After the 2020 election and Trump’s pardons of some supporters of the Capitol riot, Sasse called those pardons “rotten to the core.” He condemned efforts by some Republicans (e.g. to challenge the electoral vote count) as threatening legitimate self‑government. – Wikipedia
Bob Inglis
In 2016, he was among a group of former GOP lawmakers who publicly declared they could “under no circumstances” vote for Trump. He criticized Trump’s appeal to fear and said that amplifying fears — rather than offering reasoned leadership — was “demagoguery.” – Wikipedia
Bill Kristol
A conservative commentator and Republican‑aligned thinker, Kristol has said for years that Trump “does not have the character to be president of the United States.” He’s criticized a broad range of Trump policies — foreign and domestic — and co‑founded a group (Republicans for the Rule of Law) opposing some Trump administration actions. – Wikipedia
Lisa Murkowski
More recently (2025), she publicly challenged fellow Republicans to speak out if they see government overreach, arguing that some of Trump’s policies or executive actions violate law or norms. – Washington Post
She called certain of Trump’s statements “unacceptable,” demanding “a higher standard of decorum and decency.” – Fox News
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