The ethics, or lack thereof, of the Republican party have turned out to be too much for one former Trump official.
Miles Taylor, who formerly served as a deputy chief of staff for Homeland Security under former Republican President Donald Trump, wrote on Twitter he no longer believes the GOP can be saved—and he is leaving the party altogether.
Taylor cited the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York as an example of how the party's dangerous rhetoric, especially surrounding the "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory touted by the likes of Fox News' Tucker Carlson, is inciting racist violence.
"I'm done."
"I no longer believe that the Republican Party can be saved."
"The vitriolic rhetoric is inspiring violent radicals."
"I'm quitting the GOP. And I hope more do the same."
In the comments on his tweet, Taylor linked to an editorial he penned for NBC News in which he elaborates on why he has given up hope of saving the party.
"In the wake of the mass shooting in Buffalo on Saturday, it’s become glaringly obvious that my party no longer represents conservative values but in fact poses a threat to them — and to America."
"I was wrong in thinking it could be saved. […] The vitriolic GOP rhetoric is inspiring violent radicals, and I don’t say that lightly."
Taylor also cited his experience with Homeland Security and counterterrorism as part of why he is speaking out against the party's actions.
"After more than a decade in counterterrorism, it’s clear to me that my party is mainstreaming conspiracy theories that are fueling a statistical spike in political intimidation, attitudes toward violence and the specter of domestic terrorism that we witnessed this weekend in New York."
Twitter users were fairly mixed in their reactions.
Some encouraged Taylor for his public denouncing of the GOP.
But others questioned how committed he was to really facilitating change.
Still others were critical it took Taylor so long to come to this conclusion.
Taylor also touched on the GOP's assertion the January 6th insurrection was "legitimate political discourse" and how it encourages Americans to use violence to make their point.
"The Republican Party — which branded a violent insurrection in the nation’s capital as “legitimate political discourse“ — is poisoning Americans minds and supplanting respectful disagreement with loaded-gun rhetoric."
As more people like Taylor come to understand the truth of the Republican Party, maybe concrete change will begin to happen.
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