Kinzinger on 'changed' GOP: 'I'm probably closer to a Democrat now'

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) reflected on the “changed” Republican Party, saying he finds himself being “probably closer to a Democrat now” politically, arguing the Democratic Party is better aligned with him on foreign policy.

"The thing that surprised me most with this, and here's a funny thing about the last couple of years, I've built these new alliances, like I've realized I'm probably closer to a Democrat now because of how the Republican Party has changed,” Kinzinger, a vocal critic of President-elect Trump, said in an interview with Forbes that was published on Friday.

“The Democrats are now the party that's defending America's role in the world, defending Ukraine, which I'm really passionate about,” he added.

The former lawmaker, who served in Congress from 2011 to 2023, spoke to Forbes about “The Last Republican,” a documentary outlining his effort to “hold [President-elect] Donald Trump accountable for the January 6 insurrection.”

Kinzinger was one of 10 House GOP lawmakers to vote to impeach Trump for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 attack. He was also one of two House Republicans, alongside former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), to vote for the creation of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack. Both served on the panel.

The former Illinois lawmaker has been critical of the modern GOP and has endorsed Vice President Harris during her unsuccessful run for the White House.

Kinzinger said during the interview that he knew that violence would take place at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and for that reason, he had a firearm on hand.

"I knew there was going to be violence. I predicted violence, and so I went in with my gun for the first time,” he said. “I am usually armed if I'm out in public, but for the first time ever, I took my gun to the Capitol.”

While stating he is unhappy with Trump’s triumph in the 2024 November election, Kinzinger thinks there’s one upside to the Republican candidate’s win over Harris - that the public will distance themselves from the president-elect and his movement.

“I think the Republican Party is toast for a while. Everything is a pendulum, and I honestly believe that Trumpism doesn't survive past these four years. While I'm pissed Trump won, had he lost, I couldn't have put an expiration date on Trumpism,” he said in the interview.

“It could have been right then and could have been 10 years from now. The only good thing about Trump winning is that in four years, people are going to want nothing to do with him or his movement anymore."

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