How the 2024 Republican candidates reacted to their Trump’s indictment

Former President Donald Trump‘s Republican presidential rivals reacted to his historic federal indictment in a number of ways – from criticizing the Justice Department to pushing him to drop out of the 2024 race. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – considered Trump’s greatest political threat – called out the DOJ for bias against Republicans.  

‘The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society. We have for years witnessed an uneven application of the law depending upon political affiliation,’ DeSantis said in a Thursday night tweet. ‘Why so zealous in pursuing Trump yet so passive about Hillary or Hunter?’

He pledged that a DeSantis administration would bring ‘accountability to the DOJ, excise political bias and end weaponization once and for all.’

Former Vice President Mike Pence – who announced his presidential bid against Trump earlier this week – cancelled a planned appearance on Hannity Thursday night as the indictment news was breaking, The Messenger reported Friday. 

Former President Donald Trump addressed the federal indictment news in a video from his Bedminster, New Jersey resort Thursday night. His Republican rivals started chiming in almost immediately 

Trump is indicted in the classified documents case and will appear in court in Miami on Tuesday. Shown are the classified documents found in the August raid of Mar-a-Lago  

‘It was not a mutual cancellation,’ The Messenger’s source said, as Pence did not want to answer questions about the Trump indictment. 

Pence did speak about the indictment Friday morning on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, saying he was ‘deeply troubled’ by the DOJ’s move against his former boss. 

‘Well, I think it’s important to note that we don’t know the facts in this case. No one does,’ Pence also said. 

Pence also said the investigation into his handling of classified documents ended last week, with investigators determining ‘it was an innocent mistake.’ 

‘And my only hope is as we learn about the facts of this indictment next week, that the American people will see in this case that it would meet a high standard necessary to justify the unprecedented federal indictment of a former president of the United States by the current president of the United States’ Justice Department, and by a potential rival,’ Pence continued. 

Like DeSantis, Pence pledged if he won the presidency he would clean up the DOJ and  ‘appoint men and women of integrity at every level that will restore the public confidence of the American people in equal justice under the law.’   

Only former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that Trump should drop out. 

‘This is a sad day for our country. While Donald Trump is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the ongoing criminal proceedings will be a major distraction. This reaffirms the need for Donald Trump to respect the office and end his campaign,’ Hutchinson said.  

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – who has positioned himself as the GOP candidate most likely to criticize Trump – suggested Ameicans should wait and see what is in the indictment, which remains sealed, before making a judgement call.

‘We don’t get our news from Trump’s Truth Social account,’ Christie said. ‘Let’s see what the facst are when any possible in dictment is released.’ 

‘As I have said before, no one is above the law, no matter how much they wish they were. We will have more to say when the facts are revealed,’ the former governor added. 

Trump’s former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley had yet to chime in by Friday morning.