Trump thanks former 2024 rival Perry Johnson for presidential endorsement

Former President Donald Trump, no stranger to attacking political rivals with derisive nicknames, thanked former Republican presidential candidate Perry Johnson for his endorsement in the 2024 primary race this week.

Johnson ended his long-shot campaign on Friday in a lengthy statement in which he cited “corruption among leaders at the RNC” as “appalling.” The Michigan businessman often polled at 0%, didn’t qualify for the first two GOP primary debates, and was not on track to meet the qualifications for next month’s debate in Miami.

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Yet on Monday, Johnson announced he was endorsing Trump, claiming, “There is now only one candidate in this race who can provide a solution to our nation’s economic, foreign policy and social crises, and most importantly, beat Joe Biden at the ballot box.”

Johnson also referenced his support of Trump’s first two presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020 in his endorsement. “During President Trump’s first term, our nation saw historic peace agreements, no new wars, an economic revival, and forged a new path forward away from corrupt, establishment career politicians,” Johnson said. “I supported President Trump in 2016 and 2020, and am proud to offer him my full endorsement once again as he seeks the Republican nomination for President in 2024.”

Trump called Johnson a “brilliant businessman” and thanked him for the endorsement later that day. “After a valiant effort, he is now leaving the Race for President to do other things, which I have no doubt will be very successful,” Trump said about his one-time rival on Truth Social. “It is a great honor for me to have received his Full Endorsement. I will make Perry very proud of this decision, because we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

The endorsement comes as the entire GOP field faces increasing pressure to drop out and support another candidate who could dethrone Trump to become the Republican Party’s next standard-bearer.

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The former president dominates Republican competitors in national and state polls, often by 30-60 percentage points. A Real Clear Politics poll average shows Trump at 58.8% support, a 45 percentage point advantage over his next closest rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), at 13%. None of the other candidates poll in the double digits.

Johnson is the third Republican to drop out of the race after Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd ended their campaigns.