This was a long time coming.
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) recently made waves by expressing his belief that the Republican Party has undergone a significant shift, one that has left him feeling more aligned with Democrats, particularly on foreign policy matters. In a candid interview with Forbes, Kinzinger, a former staunch critic of President Trump, reflected on the current state of the GOP and where he now finds himself politically.
Kinzinger shared that the changing dynamics within the Republican Party have led him to forge new political alliances. “I’ve built these new relationships, and I have come to realize I am probably more a Democrat now due to how the GOP has changed,” he admitted. He pointed specifically to the Democratic Party’s stance on foreign policy, especially their support for Ukraine, an issue Kinzinger feels passionately about. “The Democrats are now the party defending America’s role in the world and standing up for Ukraine,” he noted.
The former congressman, who served from 2011 to 2023, was vocal in his opposition to Trump, even voting to impeach the then-president after the January 6 Capitol riot. Kinzinger, along with Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), was one of only two Republicans to vote for the creation of the bipartisan committee to investigate the events surrounding the insurrection. He later participated in the investigation, which further fueled his discontent with the direction of the GOP under Trump’s influence.
In the Forbes interview, Kinzinger also discussed the tense atmosphere surrounding the Capitol on January 6, recalling how he anticipated violence that day. “I knew there was going to be violence,” he said, explaining that he brought a firearm to the Capitol out of concern for his safety.
While Kinzinger remains frustrated with Trump’s influence over the Republican Party, he does see a silver lining in Trump’s 2024 campaign. “I think the Republican Party is toast for a while,” he stated, predicting that the rise of “Trumpism” would not outlast the upcoming election cycle. “In four years, people are going to want nothing to do with him or his movement anymore.” This marks a stark warning for the GOP, signaling that the party could be on the brink of a major transformation, one that may take years to fully play out.
Kinzinger’s reflections provide an unsettling picture of the current state of the Republican Party, raising critical questions about its future and the potential for a post-Trump GOP.