President Trump
Donald TrumpNoem touts South Dakota coronavirus response, knocks lockdowns in CPAC speech On The Trail: Cuomo and Newsom — a story of two embattled governors McCarthy: 'I would bet my house' GOP takes back lower chamber in 2022 MORE hit back at retired Gen. Colin Powell
Colin Luther PowellTo unite America, Biden administration must brace for hate New DNC video highlights Republicans leaving GOP Council on Foreign Relations president invokes former boss Reagan in quitting GOP MORE after the former secretary of State said he would be voting for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden
Joe BidenNoem touts South Dakota coronavirus response, knocks lockdowns in CPAC speech On The Trail: Cuomo and Newsom — a story of two embattled governors Biden celebrates vaccine approval but warns 'current improvement could reverse' MORE.
“Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden,” Trump tweeted Sunday.
“Didn’t Powell say that Iraq had ‘weapons of mass destruction?’ They didn’t, but off we went to WAR!,” the president added.
Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden. Didn’t Powell say that Iraq had “weapons of mass destruction?” They didn’t, but off we went to WAR!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
Trump’s tweet came moments after Powell said on CNN's "State of the Union" that he would be voting for Biden.
“I certainly cannot in any way support President Trump this year,” he said.
Powell served as secretary of State under former President George W. Bush and as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Clinton.
Powell said he did not vote for Trump in 2016 and said the situation has “gotten worse.”
He said he agreed with other high-profile current and former military officers who criticized Trump’s handling of the nationwide protests over police brutality that broke out after the killing of George Floyd.
“We have a Constitution, and we have to follow that Constitution. And the president has drifted away from it,” Powell said.
Powell’s condemnation followed a blistering statement released Wednesday by former Trump Defense Secretary James Mattis
James Norman MattisRejoining the Iran nuclear deal would save lives of US troops, diplomats The soft but unmatched power of US foreign exchange programs The GOP senators likely to vote for Trump's conviction MORE, who said Trump is the first president in his lifetime who is trying to divide Americans.
A handful of Republican lawmakers have also said they agree with Mattis, including Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyThe Memo: CPAC fires starting gun on 2024 Trump at CPAC foments 2022 GOP primary wars Democrats scramble to rescue minimum wage hike MORE (R-Utah) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiGraham: Trump will 'be helpful' to all Senate GOP incumbents The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by The AIDS Institute - Senate ref axes minimum wage, House votes today on relief bill Republicans see Becerra as next target in confirmation wars MORE (R-Alaska), who said she was "struggling" with whether to vote for Trump.
The president similarly went after Murkowski for her remarks, vowing to campaign against her when she is up for reelection in 2022.
"Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don’t care, I’m endorsing. If you have a pulse, I’m with you!" he said.
