Former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki shared a theory that some Republicans continue to back former President Donald Trump because “maybe he will die.”

Psaki, host of “Inside with Jen Psaki,” made the comments on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program Tuesday morning while promoting her new book. Psaki thinks that there’s a group of Republicans who support Trump because they’re thinking Trump will just “go away.”

“I think many of them want to be close to power. They also assume or have this thought in their mind that, ‘Maybe Donald Trump will go away,’” Psaki said. “Maybe he’ll go to jail. Maybe he will die. Not to be too morbid, but maybe, I mean, he’s not a young man. Who knows what’s in their minds? They think, ‘Maybe I will be behind the Oval Office.’”

The Trump campaign responded in a statement to Newsmax.

“Democrats like Jen Psaki are suffering from such severe cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome that they openly wish President Trump would die in prison because they know Joe Biden can’t win the election fair and square,” Trump campaign National press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an email to Newsmax. “Jen Psaki and her friends should seek help because President Trump will be back in the White House very soon.”

Further, Psaki lumps other Trump supporters — Bill Barr, Sen. Mitch McConnell — as in fear of “the mob” or the “cringy” sorts like Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., whom she calls “embarrassing” in his effort to secure the vice president nod from Trump.

The conversation started in praise of former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who recently announced that he’ll vote for incumbent President Joe Biden, Psaki’s former boss, over Trump.

“There needs to be more Geoff Duncans out there,” Psaki declared.

This story has been updated.

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