Republican lt. gov. says he ‘can’t imagine’ Trump doesn’t like the attention after FBI raid

by Olafimihan Oshin - 08/10/22 5:11 PM ET

Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) said he “can’t imagine” that former President Trump doesn’t like the attention surrounding him after the FBI conducted a search at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day,” host Brianna Keilar asked Duncan about his thoughts on prominent GOP figures lashing out at federal agencies over the raid of the former president’s resort.

“Well, I don’t think it’s helpful but at the end of the day, I can’t imagine Donald Trump or anybody around his team doesn’t like the attention they’re getting,” Duncan told Keilar.

In the wake of the search, McCarthy promised that Republicans will investigate the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland if they win back the House in November’s midterm elections, while GOP figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) have accused the Biden administration of going after political opponents.

Duncan also said that Trump felt like a “falling knife” in recent months as revelations stacked up of his actions before and during the Jan 6., 2021, attack at the Capitol. But the FBI search has shaken up the situation, he said.

“It feels like he’s being raised up to cult status again, and you know, there’s people that are that are disappointed in this and probably one of those is Ron DeSantis,” Duncan said. “You know his stock was rising, and now it appears to be falling.”

The FBI carried out a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday, reportedly searching for classified documents Trump brought to his Florida residence after the end of his time in the White House.

The Department of Justice is also investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results; however, this week’s action is reportedly unrelated to that probe.

Duncan told to Keilar that the GOP’s focus should be on the midterms and 2024 elections, rather than the former president.

“I’m one of those Republicans that wishes we were sitting there talking about how bad Joe Biden is doing, how bad inflation is, how worrisome our national events are that are playing out across our country,” Duncan said. “But instead we’re talking about Donald Trump again.”