Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, a potential presidential contender in 2024, said that he believes the country needs to let the FBI’s investigation of former President Donald Trump “play out and see what happens.”
Mr Scott appeared on the programme CBS Mornings to promote his new book, America, A Redemption Story. But, predictably, the first part of the conversation on Tuesday morning was dominated by the news of the FBI’s search of Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday.
Mr Scott took a more measured tone than some of his fellow Republicans when asked about the FBI’s credibility following its execution of the raid.
“As opposed to rushing to judgement, the most important thing that we can do is let it play out — because I have no idea what they were looking for,” Mr Scott said. “I don’t think anyone knows what they were looking for.”
Mr Scott, a native of North Charleston, grew up without significant resources and worked as a financial adviser before launching a career in Republican politics. He first won election to the Senate to fill the remainder of Sen Jim DeMint’s term in 2014 after Mr DeMint resigned to run the Heritage Foundation, and then was elected to a full term in 2016.
Mr Scott is running for re-election to the Senate this year, but a number of political observers are more focused on his plans for 2024. Releasing a book is a practice typical prior to a presidential run, and Mr Scott visited Iowa in June to headline a Republican Party event.
He devotes multiple chapters of his new book to his relationship with Mr Trump, who is himself reportedly moving towards another presidential campaign. But while a number of members of his party attacked the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the aftermath of the raid, Mr Scott was more circumspect.
“There’s been lots of questions before this raid about whether or not the FBI is doing their job apolitical,” Mr Scott. “And we don’t know the answer to that question yet. This is going to raise more questions, in my opinion.”
Mr Scott eventually attempted to steer the conversation back towards the promotion of his new book. But prior to that shift, he said that he will be closely watching what happens next in the investigation — waiting to see, for instance, what the FBI was searching for at Mar-a-Lago.
“It has to be something of incredible magnitude for at least my side of the aisle to say that was warranted,” Mr Scott said. “Without that, I think we’re going to find ourselves in a very big mess as it relates to the credibility of the FBI.”
