Former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele on Sunday slammed former President Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party.
Steele lashed out at the GOP presidential front-runner for remarks he made Saturday at a campaign rally in North Carolina, claiming MAGA “represents 96 percent, and maybe 100 percent” of Republican voters. The former RNC chair blasted Trump as “the biggest RINO,” an acronym meaning “Republican In Name Only.”
“Game on, Trump. Game on,” Steele said. “I’ve been in this party since 1976. If anyone is the biggest RINO, it’s you. And we coming for you.”
“So, just so you understand, you drew the line, baby. I’m stepping up to it, and a whole lot of Republicans out there — at least 40 percent or more — are stepping to that line, too,” Steele continued. “So you just need to chill on that. What you got?”
“Michael Steele putting Donald Trump on notice!” MSNBC co-host Symome Sanders exclaimed.
“Just on notice. You bring it, baby. Cause you wanna punk? Let’s punk, baby. Let’s go, one-on-one,” Steele added.
MSNBC co-host Alicia Menendez referenced former Republican Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who previously said she wanted supporters of John McCain to “get the hell out” of the Republican Party, according to The Arizona Republic. Lake unsuccessfully contested the election after falling short against Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs by roughly 17,000 ballots. (RELATED: Take A Look At Mika And Joe’s Faces As Their Heads Pretty Much Explode Over Trump’s Border Speech)
“We’ve already seen this movie play out, when you say, ‘We are not a big tent and we don’t want you at our table,'” Menendez chimed in.
“And that’s the stupidity of the whole thing,” Steele replied. “So, all of these folks, these late-to-the-table RINOs, you want to throw a RINO — Donald Trump, you are the biggest RINO in the room. The biggest one.”
“And you’ve duped these folks into thinking that you’re somehow the conservative standard-bearer? Come on! You want to try to build a party and grow? You’re not doing it, you’re shrinking. What elections have you won? What elections have you won? None, except your own, and you’re not winning this one because you didn’t win the last one,” Steele said.