Trump has a first potential GOP challenger: Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld

Bill Weld.
(Image credit: George Frey / Getty Images)

President Trump's first possible challenger in the Republican presidential primaries has emerged.

Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld announced on Friday that he's forming an exploratory committee ahead of a possible run against Trump in 2020, reports the Boston Herald.

In his announcement, Weld said that the country is in "grave peril" and that Trump is "unstable." He also said that Republicans who support the president "exhibit all the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome."

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Weld was Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson's running mate during the 2016 election, but he was a registered Republican prior to running with Johnson, and he changed his registration back from Libertarian to Republican this month ahead of this potential White House bid.

Several Republicans have floated possible primary challenges against Trump, including former Ohio Governor John Kasich, but Weld is the first one to actually reach the exploratory committee step. His 2020 campaign is certainly a long-shot effort, especially with polls showing that the vast majority of Republicans still back the president. But even so, the Boston Herald writes that Weld is "determined to make life difficult for Trump."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.