White House attacks legacies of both Bush presidents after reports they refused to vote for Trump

collected by :Tod Hinery

open_word} On Oct. 19, former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush made veiled criticisms about the Trump administration's threats to democracy and unity. George W. Bush didn't expect Trump to win the general election, according to the author. As he watched Trump's campaign, the younger Bush feared he — Bush —would "be the last Republican president," the author told CNN. But not only did the Bush presidents lament the prospect of a Trump presidency, Updegrove told CNN — they even shunned their party's nominee on Election Day. The elder Bush told the author he voted for Trump's rival Hillary Clinton, a Democrat.

George H.W. Bush says Trump is a 'blowhard' motivated by 'ego'

Bush and George W. Bush are going public with harsh criticisms of President Trump in a new book, according to published reports. The elder Bush, 93, considers Trump a "blowhard" while his son thinks Trump is fanning public anger and came to the presidency with no understanding of the job. Bush and George W. Bush. And I'm not too excited about him being a leader."George W. Bush, the 43rd president, says he voted for neither Clinton nor Trump. The Bush family is still stinging from Trump's criticism of Jeb Bush, whom Trump relentlessly hammered — and defeated — in last year's GOP primary.

Both Bush Presidents Worry Trump Is Blowing Up the G.O.P.

as informed in And I'm not too excited about him being a leader." Rather than being motivated by public service, Mr. Bush said Mr. Trump seemed to be driven by "a certain ego."The younger Mr. Bush was more circumspect, but also clearly disapproving. When Mr. Trump first entered the race, Mr. Bush thought he would not last and was surprised by the real estate developer's success at capturing the nomination. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyWhen Mr. Trump declared that "I'm my own adviser," Mr. Bush thought he did not understand the presidency. I think he pushed things a little too far right."The younger Mr. Bush resented the implication that anyone was steering him. He added that Mr. Cheney and Donald H. Rumsfeld, his defense secretary, "didn't make one fucking decision."But he insisted Mr. Cheney served him well and said that the vice president's sometimes dark reputation was inevitable.