William Kristol, 67, is a neoconservative political commentator and editor at large of the Bulwark. He founded the Weekly Standard and served in two Republican administrations.
You’ve become a prominent member of the resistance with Never Trumpers, Republicans for the Rule of Law, Meeting of the Concerned. Is that a role you could have imagined for yourself earlier in your career?
I think I’ve always had a kind of heterodox or contrarian streak. I think I’ve usually been willing to stand up to the powers that be, to some degree. But I don’t like it, honestly, when people overdo how difficult and noble this is or something. I mean, God knows, in the big scheme of things, it’s nothing compared to what millions of people have done across the world in standing up for their beliefs against leaders and governments. And, in a way, being free from that kind of orthodoxy has been somewhat liberating.
I have been surprised by the total capitulation to Trump. I never liked the, Well, in private, they say this. I mean, at some point, that is not an excuse; it’s almost meaningless. People’s behavior in public, if you’re a public official, is your behavior. It really came to a head on impeachment, where we fought hard trying to get Republicans to do the right thing and failed entirely, except for Romney. I think that brought home to me, and should have brought home to everyone, that Republican members of Congress should get zero credit for saying things in private that they’re not willing to say in public. At least the true believers believe it, right? I mean, is going along really a more admirable stance? Is being a cynical apparatchik better than being a true believer?
But, yeah, I guess I am a little depressed by the failure of civic and political courage in standing up to Trump. We’re not back in Germany. We’re not in the Soviet Union. We’re not even in Hungary, in Venezuela. I mean, what are you really putting on the line?
I guess the fundamental dispute is how much damage [Trump] is doing to the country. And I do feel like now that’s kind of evident. Sticking with him even now, in the midst of this incredibly damaging bungling of the coronavirus, is pretty astounding. The tribalism. I mean, I had low hopes. I didn’t really expect people to jump ship even on this, but to see it play out day to day and week to week, it’s astonishing.