Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seemingly knocked former President Donald Trump Sunday morning, in saying the Republican Party should be focusing on serious presidential candidates for 2024 — and not "celebrity" politicians.
During his Fox News interview, Pompeo reasoned that the "moment for celebrity, the moment for stars" has passed. "It's the moment for America to go back to its conservative founding."
When asked to describe his ideal presidential type, Pompeo — who has yet to declare his candidacy for the White House — said, "I was talking about the time to elect serious leaders who are thoughtful, who speak about America as the most exceptional nation in the history of civilization.
"They aren't denigrating it, they are not throwing out whoppers, they're not spending all their time thinking about Twitter. That's what I was speaking to," added Pompeo.
However, when pressed on whether the above words were a shot at Trump, who handpicked Pompeo as his secretary of state (2018-21), the former CIA director retreated a bit by lamenting, "It's not about former President Trump. It's not about President [Joe] Biden. It's about the American people and getting this right."
When speaking to Fox News, Pompeo also conveyed that he would have fared well, as president, regarding the handling of China, Russia, the COVID-19 pandemic, or America's spiraling debt.
"I think ... a President Pompeo or any conservative president will do better than not only we did during the four years of the Trump administration, but Barack Obama, George Bush," said Pompeo. "The list is long ... of folks who come to Washington on one theory and aren't prepared to stand up and explain to the American people how we're actually going to get that right."
The 2024 Republican primary field could include as many as three politicians who worked closely with Trump during his presidency: Pompeo, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (already declared), and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Other potential GOP candidates for 2024 include: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
On Sunday, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced he would not be joining the 2024 Republican race.
At this weekend's Conservative Political Action Coalition conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Trump posted a decisive straw-poll victory over the potential RNC candidates, securing 62% of the vote.
Governor DeSantis finished a distant second, at 20%.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.