Outgoing North Carolina Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn pledged fealty to former Republican President Donald Trump in a video he posted to Instagram after Trump announced he will campaign for the White House in 2024.
Though he acknowledged his loyalty comes with one exception attached. Cawthron was among the few Republicans who had flown down to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort club to hear the announcement.
Afterward Cawthorn said he will "follow this man 'till the day I die, " but added:
“Y’know, barring some terrible information.”
Cawthorn never elaborated as to what would qualify as "terrible information" but he did go on to chastise Republican leaders for their own disloyalty because Trump "fought for you."
You can see the full video below.
Cawthorn said:
"So I flew down to Mar-a-Lago today from Washington, D.C. and I'm so happy I made the trip because Trump's speech really displayed that America is going to be back."
"Under his presidency, we can all talk about domestic issues all we want but what really defines a presidency and a strong executive branch is strong foreign policy, and Donald Trump doesn't want us getting into foreign wars."
"He doesn't want us having to lose our blood, our treasure overseas for countries that don't even want us there to begin with. I will follow this man 'till the day I die, y'know, barring some terrible information."
"But this man has bled for us, this man has fought for us. This man has put his entire career, has put his entire life, his entire persona—everything about him, everything about the Trump family, the children, his wife—he's put it all on the line for all of us."
"And so, to the conservatives who are taking about, 'Oh, maybe his time's over,' where is your loyalty? How can you look yourself in the mirror as a man and say, 'Oh, I'll turn my back on somebody when the going gets tough or when it's not a sure thing.'"
Cawthorn went on to say the United States was a "strong nation" under Trump because he “made the world fear us," noting he would like to live under "a President who people are terrified of.”
Cawthorn's caveat he will stop supporting Trump if "terrible information" comes to light exposed both him and Trump to mockery online.
\u201c"barring some terrible information" is such a hilarious disclaimer\u201d— Edward Ongweso Jr (@Edward Ongweso Jr) 1668634499
\u201cKind of a big caveat there\u201d— Peter Raleigh (@Peter Raleigh) 1668628718
\u201cBarring what terrible information? If the terrible information that's already out there hasn't done it, Madison, I don't think there's much that's going to turn you off now.\u201d— Charlotte Honigman (@Charlotte Honigman) 1668628154
\u201cwhat thing could you learn about Trump at this point that would be beyond the pale if nothing else was?\u201d— Claire (other places to find me in pin) (@Claire (other places to find me in pin)) 1668629290
\u201cTerrible information like stealing classified top secret documents or terrible like leading an insurrection against our Nation\u2019s Capital or terrible like letting thousands of our citizens die because he dropped the ball with covid? Yup keep drinking the koolaid!\u201d— Pam \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udeb4\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\udd7e\u2600\ufe0f\ud83e\udd8b\u262e\ufe0f\ud83c\udf08 (@Pam \ud83c\udf0a \ud83d\udeb4\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\udd7e\u2600\ufe0f\ud83e\udd8b\u262e\ufe0f\ud83c\udf08) 1668640534
\u201cPretty big caveat there, buddy\u201d— Appodlachia (@Appodlachia) 1668622730
\u201cI love how he adds the "barring some terrible information" line for seemingly no reason\u201d— Yimmy |The real life bart simon! (@Yimmy |The real life bart simon!) 1668630773
\u201cOne loser supporting another.\u201d— College Football Tweets (@College Football Tweets) 1668640855
\u201cwonder where the bar is for \u201cterrible information\u201d for this guy\u201d— bs dtectr (@bs dtectr) 1668621561
Cawthorn's perceived allegiance to Trump rings hollow because Cawthorn already threw Trump under the bus over January 6—the day a mob of Trump's supporters attacked the nation's seat of government on the false premise the 2020 general election had been stolen.
Over the summer, Cawthorn said Trump created a “dangerous setting” outside the United States Capitol on January 6, adding he regrets not directing the crowd that attended the "Stop the Steal" rally ahead of the attack to protest peacefully.
Cawthorn lost his GOP primary in June and though he has continued to openly support Trump's falsehoods about election integrity, he is no longer in Trump's good graces.
Trump called on Republicans to give the scandal-ridden Cawthorn a "second chance" despite reports Trump had become "increasingly annoyed" with him in light of a multitude of unsavory headlines, which at that point included a video clip showing Cawthorn naked in bed and making thrusting motions on top of another man.
