A senior Republican stood up against president-elect Donald Trump’s plan to fire FBI director Christopher Wray on Sunday — and was immediately hit by the wrath of MAGA.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) appeared on ABC’s This Week and said Wray was a “very good man” and he didn’t have “any complaints about the way that he’s done his job right now.”
Trump plans to replace Wray — whom he hired during his first term — with MAGA firebrand Kash Patel.
ABC anchor Jonathan Karl asked directly, “Is it a mistake to fire him? Why is Trump determined to fire the FBI director, let alone one he nominated in the first place?”
“We don’t speak for the president-elect,” responded the senator. But the damage was done.
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham immediately posted on X. The post was first reported by the Daily Beast.
“I think Sen. Rounds should go home and make these points at a town meeting in front of his constituents.”
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“South Dakota is one of the reddest states in the union. They could have the most bloodthirsty right wing senators if they wanted to,” wrote radio show host Jesse Kelly wrote.
“So if losers like Mike Rounds torpedo the most important nominations, the GOP primary voter only has himself to blame.”
The co-founder of the conservative magazine The Federalist also responded.
“Either Mike Rounds has an IQ of 85, he’s a co-conspirator in the corruption, or Wray has pictures/videos of him being naughty,” wrote Sean Davis. “Because there’s no way an honest person with a functioning brain can possibly believe Chris Wray had done a perfect job as FBI director.”