Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, asserting that Americans opposing his actions on January 6 were “in the minority.” Sanders made the comments during an interview on ABC’s This Week, where host Jonathan Karl pressed her on Trump’s attempts to challenge the election results.
During the exchange, Karl referenced former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), who has publicly supported the Democratic presidential nominee, citing her belief that Trump was “unfit for office.” Karl asked Sanders how she reconciled Trump’s record with his efforts to overturn the election. “How do you square [Harris’] record that you just talked about, which is obviously debatable and will be debated, with what happened at the end of the Trump presidency where he did try to overturn a presidential election, tried to overturn a Democratic election?” Karl inquired.
In response, Sanders downplayed the criticism, claiming it represented only a small fraction of the country. “I do think she actually is significantly in the minority here,” Sanders replied. “You look across the board, prominent Republicans are supporting President Trump, but ultimately I think she’s a non-factor.”
Sanders continued by dismissing Cheney’s Republican credentials, arguing that her support for the Democratic nominee disqualified her from identifying as a conservative. “I’m not trying to be rude, but you don’t get to call yourself a conservative or a Republican when you support the most radical nominee that the Democrats have ever put up,” Sanders stated. “That doesn’t make you a conservative. It certainly doesn’t make you a Republican.”
Sanders’ remarks reflect the ongoing divisions within the Republican Party over Trump’s actions following the 2020 election and his continued influence on the party. While some prominent Republicans, like Cheney, have openly opposed Trump’s efforts to remain in office, others, like Sanders, remain staunch defenders of his legacy.