The two most recent Republican presidents plan to skip out on the July Republican convention in Cleveland and have no intention of endorsing presumptive nominee Donald Trump, Politico reported Thursday.
Staffers for George H.W. Bush, the 41st president, and his son George W. Bush, the 43rd president, told the news site in separate statements that they will not be present for Trump’s nomination.
George W. Bush “does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign,” personal aide Freddy Ford told Politico.
George H.W. Bush spokesman Jim McGrath told the site that the elderly former president only made public appearances in the last year to support the failed campaign of his son, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
“At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics. He naturally did a few things to help Jeb, but those were the ‘exceptions that proved the rule,'” McGrath said.
Jeb Bush will be joining his family in skipping out on the convention, as will 2008 nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and 2012 nominee Mitt Romney.
The lone former Republican nominee expected to turn up in Cleveland, according to The Hill, is 1996 candidate Bob Dole, who lost in a landslide to incumbent Bill Clinton.
