A clip of a Republican representative has gone viral after he claimed to be an independent thinker right after stating that he would follow President-elect Donald Trump's orders.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew says that he supports Mike Johnson but if Trump tells him not to "that would change my mind," then in the next breath claims "I'm a very independent person." 🤔 pic.twitter.com/YBGy2w6qNU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 30, 2024
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd congressional district, went viral after he seemingly walked back a statement he made seconds earlier in an interview on Fox Business with journalist Maria Bartiromo.
Van Drew was asked if he endorsed current Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for a second term in the position after Trump himself had endorsed Johnson.
"I am supporting the speaker and let me say, if, you know, I hear from President Donald Trump, who I do speak with relatively regularly and I have a relationship with him, to the contrary, that would change my mind," said Van Drew.
An avid Trump supporter and former Democrat, Van Drew became a Republican in 2019 after the first impeachment of then-President Donald Trump, which he saw as unjustified.
However, right after this statement, Van Drew states that he is not swayed by others' opinions.
"Let me say this, I'm a very independent person. So, I get it. I get it," Van Drew said. "Members of Congress want to express their individual viewpoint, 'We're a coequal branch of government, etc, etc... but there was a mandate from the people of the United States of America in both the popular vote and the electoral vote to make change."
Social media users quickly took to replies of clips of the interview posted online to mock the representative for mixing words.
"Not sure I'd define independence as "whatever Trump's latest Truth Social post says,"" wrote one user.
Not sure I’d define independence as "whatever Trump's latest Truth Social post says."
— Lemon Sturgis (@LemonSturgis) December 30, 2024
"I'm really beginning to believe in the ignorance of maga," concurred another.
I’m really beginning to believe in the ignorance of maga.
— Vicki Andresen (@vandresen433) December 30, 2024
"Talk about a lack of self awareness," commented a third user.
Talk about a lack of self awareness.
— Timothy Bellman (@Timothy_Bellman) December 30, 2024
"Do any of the republicans have a spine or is the requirement now to be a spineless stooge ???" said another user.
Do any of the republicans have a spine or is the requirement now to be a spineless stooge ??? 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨
— Linda J Fernandez-Munn (@LindaJMunn1) December 30, 2024
On Monday, Trump took to his social media app, Truth Social, to endorse the controversial Speaker of the House, Missouri Rep. Mike Johnson.
"Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN," Trump wrote. "Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!"
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