Former President Donald Trump is publicly endorsing Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Turkish-American TV physician, for the Republican U.S. Senate primary race in Pennsylvania. Trump made his endorsement public during a North Carolina rally. “This is all about winning elections in order to stop the Radical Left maniacs from destroying our country,” Trump said in a statement promoting the celebrity heart surgeon-turned-politician this weekend. “I have known Dr. Oz for many years, as have many others, even if only through his very successful television show. He has lived with us through the screen and has always been popular, respected, and smart.” The former president also praised Dr. Oz’s medical and academic credentials. Trump’s endorsement of Dr. Oz has ignited fury and ridicule among Trump supporters, republicans, and conservatives.
Why Are Trump Supporters Angry At Dr. Oz endorsement?
Trump supporters believe that Oz, who has ever-changing feelings about abortion, isn’t a trustworthy “America First” Republican candidate. Just one example of reasons conservatives don’t trust Dr. Oz, despite his many credentials, occurred in March 2011. According to the National Library of Medicine, Oz stated on his show that homeopathy could ease people’s aches and pains without the use of prescription medication. His guest, Russ Greenfield, MD, claimed homeopathy works, even in extremely dilute concentrations, when not a single molecule of the original drug remains. “The essence of the medication—oh, let’s say the spirit of the medication—is imbibed and it sends a message to the body to heal itself,” according to Greenfield. Oz stated, during the same show, that his family often uses homeopathic treatments.
During another show, Oz interviewed Dr. Mosaraf Ali, miracle healer to Sylvester Stallone, Prince Charles of England, and others. Most of the show focused on Dr. Ali’s use of iridology. According to this widely debunked theory, each part of the iris corresponds to a specific area of the body. This leads to a belief that a person’s state of health can be diagnosed by examining particular regions of the iris. After expressing his amazement at Dr. Ali’s diagnostic abilities, Oz stated, “I want to applaud Doctor Mosaraf Ali because these are ancient traditions and they have been around for centuries so who am I to dismiss them?” Oz’s frequent attempt to agree with guests, even when their theories have been debunked previously, makes conservatives fear this same mentality will be brought to his political career. Someone who has the ability to take a sure stance of their own on important topics is important to conservatives. Many conservatives and Trump supporters believe candidate Dave McCormick, who has ex-Trump administration official Hope Hicks by his side, is the better candidate. The former George W. Bush administration official’s resume closely fits the Republican mold. McCormick is also married to Dina Powell, a former Trump White House official.
What Have Trump Supporters Said About Dr. Oz Endorsement?
“I have enormous respect for President Trump. I was honored to have his endorsement in PA. Twice,” Sean Parnell, the former Trump-backed candidate, who dropped out of the race after abuse allegations surfaced from his ex-wife, wrote on Twitter. “But I’m disappointed by this. Oz is the antithesis of everything that made Trump the best president of my lifetime.” Conservative radio host Erick Erickson tweeted, “it’s like Donald Trump’s staff is sabotaging Trump by convincing him to make the worst possible endorsements.”
“This endorsement could divide MAGA in the only way that matters: he could lose America First conservatives over it,” Breitbart News’ Joel Pollak wrote.
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), who is running for the Senate, but recently split with Trump over back-and-forth accusations of election interference, blames the Oz endorsement on Trump’s staff. “This is happening because Trump’s surrounded himself by staff who are on McConnell’s payroll & hostile to the MAGA agenda. Everybody telling Trump who to endorse in primaries works for The Swamp,” said Brooks. “They played him. Again.” Lesser-known pro-Trump media personalities also stepped into the fold, including Townhall columnist Kurt Schlichter, who wrote: “It’s pretty hard for me to fully express how disappointed in Trump I am for endorsing Oz.”
While many Republicans, conservatives, and Trump supporters has been bashing Dr. Oz’s endorsement from former president Trump, the doctor seems to have an ally in Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I am supporting his nomination to be the Republican candidate,” Hannity said in March. “I have known him for many, many years.” Dr. Oz has been a highly controversial figure over the last few years, especially during the pandemic. Do you believe Dr. Oz will make a good Republican candidate? Do you support or reject Trump’s endorsement of the TV physician?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
