George W. Bush Torches the Trump-Era Republican Party: It’s ‘Isolationist, Protectionist, and to a Certain Extent Nativist’

America’s most recent two-term Republican President doesn’t think highly of the party for which he served as the standard-bearer at the start of the 21st Century.

Appearing on the Today show Tuesday, former President George W. Bush was asked by host Hoda Kotb to describe the current state of the Republican party. His response was none too charitable.

“I would describe it as isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent nativist,” Bush said.

Kotb followed up by asking if the former president is “disappointed” by the direction the party has taken in the years since he left office.

“It’s not exactly my vision,” Bush said. “But I’m just an old guy they put out to pasture.”

Bush, participating in his first live national television interview in more than three years, was notoriously silent about former President Donald Trump. Kotb noted Bush’s reluctance to speak out.

“Have you ever been tempted?” Kotb asked Bush.

The former president chuckled.

“The answer’s no,” Bush said. “Not really. I mean, look, I’m out.”

Kotb asked Bush about the Capitol riot. The 43rd president responded by saying it made him “sick,” and went on to denounce the “misinformation” on social media which led to the events of Jan. 6.

“What’s really troubling is how much misinformation there is — the capacity of the people to spread all kinds of untruth,” Bush said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about that. I know what I’m doing about it. I don’t do Twitter or Facebook or any of that stuff.”

Watch above, via NBC.