More than 100 Republicans, including former governors and lawmakers, are threatening to form a third party if the GOP doesn't split from Trump
AP
- More than 100 Republicans are threatening to form their own party if it doesn't renounce Trump.
- The group includes former governors, members of Congress, and a Bush-era Cabinet secretary.
- They plan to release a letter on Thursday.
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More than 100 Republicans say they will leave their party and form a new one if it doesn't split from former President Donald Trump.
The group, which includes former governors and lawmakers, plans to release a letter outlining the threat on Thursday, The New York Times and Reuters reported.
The preamble to the statement, as seen by The New York Times, says: "When in our democratic republic, forces of conspiracy, division, and despotism arise, it is the patriotic duty of citizens to act collectively in defense of liberty and justice."
One of the signatories told The Times that those due to sign include former officials, members of Congress, ambassadors, cabinet secretaries, and party chairmen.
They include former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who served under President George W. Bush, The Times and Reuters reported.
Miles Taylor, the former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff who anonymously wrote an article about "resistance" in the Trump administration, is one of the group's organizers, Reuters reported.
The Republican Party has been split over Trump.
House Republicans are due to vote on Wednesday on whether to oust Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-highest ranking Republican in the chamber, after she pushed back against Trump's false claims about the 2020 presidential election.