Donald Trump regularly praises George Patton, but the general’s grandson is endorsing Marco Rubio.
George Patton Waters backed the Florida senator Wednesday in a blistering statement that rebuked the billionaire businessman for invoking his forefather on the campaign trail.
“Donald Trump says we need to ‘bring back Patton,’ but I can say with certainty: Mr. Trump, you are no Patton. It’s true that my grandfather was known for his controversial statements and aggressive leadership, but he was also known for his honor and toil for a righteous cause,” Waters said in a statement. “My grandfather was a fighter, and he would have been proud of Marco Rubio’s fight against Donald Trump.”
Rubio has positioned himself as the most hawkish candidate in the GOP field, and Waters, a Navy veteran, gives him another high-profile backer. He is facing the most important week of his campaign before Florida’s primary on March 15, which many believe could end his candidacy should he lose.
On the trail, Trump frequently calls for a tougher, rougher American military and to bring back leaders like the elder Patton, who was known for his profanity and skilled command of troops in North Africa, Italy and France during World War II.