President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan in the early morning hours of Friday, calling the recently party-switched politician a “total loser” in a Truth Social post published just after 1 a.m. Eastern time.
The attack came in response to Duncan’s announcement earlier this week that he had officially joined the Democratic Party after being expelled from the Georgia Republican Party in January. Duncan served as Georgia’s lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023 as a Republican before becoming an outspoken critic of Trump’s claims about the 2020 election.
In his midnight social media tirade, Trump expressed no regret over Duncan’s departure from the Republican ranks. The President indicated that Duncan was never able to accomplish anything during his tenure and suggested the party was better off without him. Trump wrote: “Good riddance Geoff. You don’t even have a chance!!!”
Duncan’s journey from Republican lieutenant governor to Democratic Party member has been years in the making. He voted for Trump in 2020 but began distancing himself after the former President pressured Georgia officials to overturn Biden’s narrow victory in the state. Duncan was serving as president of the Georgia state Senate when Trump allies, including Rudy Giuliani, spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election before state lawmakers.
The former lieutenant governor’s criticism of Trump intensified over time, with Duncan making regular media appearances to speak out against the former President. In 2023, he compared Trump’s moral compass to that of an ax murderer and described the modern Republican Party as resembling a cult under Trump’s control. Duncan testified before the Fulton County grand jury that later indicted Trump and others for their attempts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
Duncan’s formal switch to the Democratic Party was announced in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed published Tuesday, titled “From Republican Lt. Governor To Democrat: Loving My Neighbor Is Easier Now.” In the piece, he explained that his decision centered around his struggle to love his neighbor while remaining a Republican, citing disagreements with GOP policies on SNAP benefits, Medicaid funding, and immigration enforcement.
The Georgia Republican Party expelled Duncan in January after he endorsed President Joe Biden during his 2024 re-election campaign and later endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris when Biden withdrew from the race. Georgia GOP Chair Josh McKoon had previously instructed Duncan to stop using his Republican credentials in public and media appearances.
Duncan’s opposition to Trump became publicly prominent during the 2020 election aftermath, when he joined Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in pushing back against Trump’s fraud claims in their state. This stance put him at odds with Trump, who frequently attacked all three Georgia Republicans for refusing to support his efforts to overturn the election results.
The former lieutenant governor’s break with the Republican Party became more visible during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where he received a standing ovation for his remarks criticizing Trump’s 2020 election claims. During his speech, Duncan told the crowd that Trump’s attempts to overthrow the 2020 election disqualified him from ever stepping foot in the Oval Office again.
Trump’s latest attack on Duncan represents a continuation of their long-running feud. In August 2024, Trump had called for Duncan to be thrown out of the Georgia GOP, describing him as a lightweight who worked for CNN at a low salary. Trump also criticized Duncan’s relationship with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, whom Trump has frequently targeted for not supporting his 2020 election challenges.
Duncan, who currently works as a CNN contributor, has indicated he is considering running for higher office as a Democrat. He told Atlanta PBS affiliate WABE that he has received encouragement from Democrats, independents, and some Republicans to seek office again. There is speculation that Duncan could run for Georgia governor as a Democrat in 2026, when current Governor Kemp will be unable to seek re-election due to term limits.
The timing of Trump’s early morning attack reflects the President’s apparent frustration with Republican defections to the Democratic Party. Duncan joins a growing list of former Republican officials who have publicly criticized Trump and, in some cases, switched parties or endorsed Democratic candidates in recent election cycles.
