A jury conviction of Trump 'could be fatal' for the GOP: former Trump adviser

Appearing on CNN on Monday morning a former high-ranking advisor to Donald Trump claimed the Republican party is playing with fire if they allow Donald Trump to be their 2024 presidential candidate.

Speaking with host Boris Sanchez, former national security adviser John Bolton -- who had a major falling out with the former president -- suggested the GOP could be fatally wounded if the top of the 2024 ticket is a convicted felon.

"Do you believe there's still a lane for another Republican to take the primary?" host Sanchez prompted.

"Yes, I do, and I think it's difficult but I think this could all turn, both for the primary, but particularly for the general election, on whether any of the four pending criminal indictments actually come to trial and get a jury verdict before the election," Bolton replied.

"Because I think if a jury convicts Trump, I think that could be fatal either to getting the nomination or certainly in November," he added. "All of the other legal proceedings have either had no effect or, as you point out in this fundraising news, have benefited Trump. But I think a jury verdict of guilty is something very different."

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'I think even a lot of MAGA Trumpers really don't want to elect a convicted felon president," he elaborated. "The difficulty for Republicans is that the convention is in August, but many of the primaries and caucuses begin quite early next year. So the argument has to be made to Republican voters, don't vote for somebody who may be a felon by the time we get to our convention."

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