Donald Trump said Wednesday that some of his former GOP rivals who signed a loyalty pledge to back the party's presidential nominee but have not done so should be prevented from seeking public office ever again.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham both have publicly stated they do not support Trump's candidacy now that he has become the presumptive nominee.
Trump insisted in a speech to supporters in Bangor, Maine, he would have honored the pledge had he not won the nomination, though he said several times during the campaign that he might not do so if he didn't feel the Republican Party had treated him fairly,
Politico noted in its reporting on the speech.
"I wouldn't have gone crazy, I wouldn't have had, you know, let's yell it from the loudest building, but you know what, I would have honored the pledge," Trump said in the speech. "But we have people that have not honored the pledge. And that's a terrible thing. I don't care who you are, what your position."
Trump noted that all 16 of his rivals signed the pledge, which was instituted for fear that Trump would not back the nominee if it wasn't him.
"Just remember this: They signed a pledge saying they will abide, saying they will back the candidate of the party. And now they sit back and the pledge is out there and the press doesn't even go after him on that," he said. "They broke their word, in my opinion. They should never be allowed to run for public office again because what they did is disgraceful."
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