{"id":2606407,"date":"2026-05-24T08:01:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T12:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevertrumper-bill-kristol-announces-hes-a-dem-gives-most-preposterous-reason-for-the-change\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T08:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T12:02:32","slug":"nevertrumper-bill-kristol-announces-hes-a-dem-gives-most-preposterous-reason-for-the-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevertrumper-bill-kristol-announces-hes-a-dem-gives-most-preposterous-reason-for-the-change\/","title":{"rendered":"NeverTrumper Bill Kristol Announces He&#8217;s a Dem, Gives Most Preposterous Reason for the Change"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnevertrumper-bill-kristol-announces-hes-a-dem-gives-most-preposterous-reason-for-the-change%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2606407&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Bill Kristol-long a prominent neoconservative pundit and former headliner of *The Weekly Standard*-announced he is switching to the Democratic Party, claiming it aligns with pro-freedom, law-and-order, limited government, and the U.S. Constitution. The article argues that this conversion is hypocritical and cynical, pointing out that Kristol previously criticized Trump and the conservative backlash against Trump\u2019s populist rise, yet now insists Democrats share values Kristol associated with the right.<\/p>\n<p>It also cites ridicule from commentators, compares Kristol\u2019s move to other high-profile \u201cNeverTrump\u201d conservatives who have gone Democratic (including George Conway and Jen Rubin), and criticizes Kristol for earlier support or favorable remarks about Democratic figures and policies. the piece frames Kristol\u2019s declaration as an opportunistic attempt to align with a diffrent establishment rather than a genuine change of principles, ending with the question of why he pretended otherwise for so long.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_2)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In the most stunning revelation since it was confirmed Liberace liked the dudes, Bill Kristol \u2014 neocon, publisher, and one-time Republican operative extraordinaire \u2014 has announced he\u2019s now a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>Kristol is best known both for his punditry in print and on various <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cassidy-hutchinsons-testimony-takes-another-blow\/\" title=\"Cassidy Hutchinson&#039;s Testimony Takes Another Blow\">cable news hits<\/a>, as well as publishing The Weekly Standard, long known as one of the pillars of the conservative establishment.<\/p>\n<p>However, while the conservative establishment generally didn\u2019t like Donald Trump as he became a serious candidate during the 2016 cycle, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/arrogant-trump-hater-bill-kristol-hit-disaster-weekly-standard-close-days-insider\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kristol had an anaphylactic reaction<\/a> to suddenly being displaced by the populist rabble. Fast-forward 10 years and the professional NeverTrumper has become yet another professional mouthpiece who has decided he\u2019s so much of a Not That Kind of a Republican\u2122 that he\u2019s not a Republican.<\/p>\n<p>His reasons, alas, can be described \u2014 at best \u2014 as strange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m pro-freedom, pro-law and order, pro-limited government, and pro-the Declaration and the Constitution,\u201d Kristol said in a post this past week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd so today I\u2019m a Democrat.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I\u2019m pro-freedom, pro-law and order, pro-limited government, and pro-the Declaration and the Constitution.<\/p>\n<p>And so today I\u2019m a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillKristol\/status\/2055454531756888502?\">May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>This, from pundit and U.K. Spectator writer Melissa Chen, may have summed up the fatuousness better than anyone has or could:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I\u2019m pro-feminism, pro-LBTQIA2S+, pro-free speech, pro-Zionism and pro-alcohol<\/p>\n<p>And so today, I am converting to Islam<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MsMelChen\/status\/2055627573749497866?\">May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>If one needs any explanation why this is risible, look at Zohran \u201cWarmth of Collectivism\u201d Mamdani, who not only got elected as a Democrat but seems to be the future face of the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not as if Kristol tried to stop this, mind you. In fact, before he was officially Democrat, he was shilling for Mamdani: \u201cNew York is a huge city. [Mamdani is] not going to destroy it, I don\u2019t think. He\u2019s gonna set up five <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevertrump-conservative-george-conway-eyes-dem-nadlers-nyc-seat-as-democratic-challenger\/\" title=\"NeverTrump &#039;Conservative&#039; George Conway Eyes Dem Nadler&#039;s NYC Seat \u2013 As ... Challenger\">silly government-run grocery stores<\/a>, I guess. I don\u2019t think he even will do that [inaudible]. And so they\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Kristol <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/even-bill-kristol-says-vote-151704666.html?guccounter=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s hardly like he\u2019s the only Republican neocon apparatchik who\u2019s decided to make their Democrat conversion official. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nevertrump-conservative-george-conway-eyes-dem-nadlers-nyc-seat-not-surprising-twist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">George Conway<\/a>, that carbuncle on the body politic who broke up his marriage because his wife committed wrongthink by helping Donald Trump win the presidency, is running for Congress as a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>Jen Rubin, the longtime token conservative-ish writer at The Washington Post, came out even earlier in 2020, in a piece called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2020\/05\/13\/nevertrump-becomes-neverrepublican\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NeverTrump becomes NeverRepublican<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>NeverRepublican became NeverWaPo when she left the sinking ship in early 2025 to start a Substack with Norm Eisen called The Contrarian, aimed at the demographic who pine for the days of Nelson Rockefeller as \u201cthe right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They say narrowcasting is the future, so maybe the six people who actually care about the publication will really make some serious changes in the Republican Party from the Democratic side, but forced to wager on Kalshi on either that outcome, or whether the staff of The Contrarian could bioengineer pigs so they could fly, I\u2019d place every dollar on the latter proposition.<\/p>\n<p>The reaction to Kristol was expected and on point.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Buddy you were a democrat 15 years ago. Which is exactly how and why Donald Trump happened.<\/p>\n<p>Take your bow. Enjoy the result.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/redsteeze\/status\/2055480226361299222?\">May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">You\u2019re pro-whatever-gets-stupid-people-to-give-you-money.<\/p>\n<p>And so you\u2019re a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The\ud83d\udc30FOO (@PolitiBunny) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PolitiBunny\/status\/2055466510814961966?\">May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Pro law and order. \ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n<p>Remember when the last guy left the border wide open, stopped deportations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >supported sanctuary cities ignoring federal law<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MAZE (@mazemoore) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mazemoore\/status\/2055479677376970892?\">May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The answer: No, he doesn\u2019t remember. What he remembers is when he held court at whatever cable network he pleased, relaying whatever moderate establishment line had come across the  list that morning.<\/p>\n<p>He tried all sorts of ways to sway the GOP back to his vision of the future, all with less than astounding results. He was one of several NeverTrump Republicans speaking at a much-ballyhooed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/republican-nevertrumpers-tried-throwing-conference-results-less-stellar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">profoundly underdelivering summit<\/a> of the tribe, including Kristol, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh.<\/p>\n<p>Before the 2020 election, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nevertrumper-bill-kristol-anthony-scaramucci-reportedly-searching-republican-challenge-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">he teamed with<\/a> (for Pete\u2019s sake) Anthony Scaramucci to try and find an anti-Trump Republican to mount a serious challenge to Trump, then the incumbent president.<\/p>\n<p>Prospective candidates either didn\u2019t answer the phone or, if they were unlucky enough not to recognize the number before picking up, said they couldn\u2019t possibly run because they had to go wash their hair and take out the trash, thanks for calling, see you later!<\/p>\n<p>And now he pretends that the Democrats, a party which embraces socialism <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/lefts-rising-new-star-hasan-piker-endorses-terrorism-violence-suggested-president-assassinated\/\">and violence<\/a> and annihilating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/dems-call-abolishing-filibuster-packing-court-report-roe-v-wade-will-overturned\/\">institutions like the Supreme Court<\/a> and Senate, is actually \u201cpro-freedom, pro-law and order, pro-limited government, and pro-the Declaration and the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The only question is the same as with Liberace: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nevertrump-donors-change-heart-becoming-never-biden-voters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why pretend<\/a> for so long?<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bill Kristol\u2019s shocking switch: he\u2019s now a Democrat-after years as a leading conservative pundit and Weekly Standard publisher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2606408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2026-05-23T131829.933.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[80202,43226,5894],"class_list":["post-2606407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-bill-kristol","tag-nevertrump","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-2026-05-23T131829.933.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2606407"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606407\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2606411,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606407\/revisions\/2606411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2606408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2606407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2606407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2606407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}