--- description: Jeb Bush repeated criticisms of Donald Trump on Saturday and also corrected people who've dismissed Trump supporters as "a bunch of idiots" title: Jeb Bush: Donald Trump Supporters Not 'A Bunch of Idiots' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b95442163ab0a0b/69889444cd1bba9209700c92/jeb-bush-amsterdam.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Jeb Bush Says Donald Trump Supporters Not 'A Bunch of Idiots'  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 21, 2016 6:38 PM CUT  Former presidential candidate Jeb Bush addresses the crowd at a campaign rally on Feb. 19, in Greenville, South Carolina. Former presidential candidate Jeb Bush addresses the crowd at a campaign rally on Feb. 19, in Greenville, South Carolina.Sean Rayford—Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 21, 2016 6:38 PM CUT During a [speech in Amsterdam on Saturday](http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/21/politics/jeb-bush-donald-trump-amsterdam/index.html "undefined"), Jeb Bush repeated familiar criticisms of Donald Trump while also correcting people who have dismissed Trump supporters as “a bunch of idiots.” “What I fear is that people, kind of looking down their nose, will say the people that are supporting Donald Trump are a bunch of idiots. They’re not. They’re legitimately scared. They’re fearful. They’re not as optimistic for legitimate reasons and there should be respect for that,” Bush said during a speech and panel discussion about American politics, [CNN reported](http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/21/politics/jeb-bush-donald-trump-amsterdam/index.html "undefined"). “And on the other side, a similar respect needs to be shown.” As he often did during his presidential campaign, Bush criticized the presumptive Republican nominee for “preying on people’s angst rather than offering tangible solutions.” Bush has been outspoken about his [disapproval of Trump](http://time.com/4268888/jeb-bush-endorses-ted-cruz/ "undefined"). **Read more:** [Jeb Bush Criticizes Donald Trump’s ‘Insensitive’ Taco Bowl Tweet](http://time.com/4338730/jeb-bush-donald-trump-cinco-de-mayo-tweet/ "undefined") Bush also said Trump has been “phenomenally good” at gaining media coverage. “He can literally wake up — I have this vision of him in, you know, silk pajamas, with his little slippers on with a ‘T’ on his emblem. He wakes up and he sends out a tweet ripping, you know, someone a new one,” Bush said, according to CNN. “He has been a master at how you get into the media, the new media, the diverse media that exists today in a way that had never been done before.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4344115/jeb-bush-donald-trump-supporters/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4344115/jeb-bush-donald-trump-supporters/"},"headline":"Jeb Bush Says Donald Trump Supporters Not 'A Bunch of Idiots'","datePublished":"2016-05-21T18:38:29.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T17:44:26.918Z","description":"\"They're legitimately scared. 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