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User: Has Ben Shapiro ever criticized Donald Trump

Has Ben Shapiro ever criticized Donald Trump

Assistant: Yes — Ben Shapiro has criticized Donald Trump many times, though the nature of that criticism has changed over the year…

Yes — Ben Shapiro has criticized Donald Trump many times, though the nature of that criticism has changed over the years.

Below is a clear breakdown, since this often gets oversimplified.

1. Strong criticism during the 2016 campaign

Shapiro was one of Trump’s most vocal conservative critics early on.

He criticized Trump for:

• Lack of conservatism (big spending, weak entitlement reform)
• Personal conduct (insults, vulgarity, temperament)
• Authoritarian rhetoric
• Attacks on the Constitution and rule of law
• The “Access Hollywood” tape — after which Shapiro said Trump was unfit to be president

Key moments:

• Shapiro publicly said he could not vote for Trump in 2016
• He resigned from Breitbart in 2016 partly over the outlet’s pro-Trump turn
• He labeled Trump a “bad representative of conservatism”

2. Policy-based criticism during Trump’s presidency

After Trump won, Shapiro shifted to a more selective, issue-by-issue approach.

He criticized Trump on:

• Trade wars and tariffs
• Deficit spending
• Personnel chaos
• Use of executive power
• Rhetoric around elections and institutions

At the same time, he supported Trump on:

• Judicial appointments
• Deregulation
• Tax reform
• Middle East policy (e.g., Abraham Accords)

This is where people often get confused: Shapiro never became “anti-anti-Trump,” but he also never became a Trump loyalist.

3. Post-2020 election criticism

After the 2020 election, Shapiro was notably critical of Trump’s behavior.

He:

• Rejected claims of widespread election fraud
• Criticized Trump’s pressure campaigns on officials
• Condemned January 6 and Trump’s role in undermining trust in elections
• Said Trump was acting recklessly and irresponsibly

Shapiro explicitly stated Trump bore moral responsibility for escalating events that led to January 6 (while distinguishing that from legal responsibility).

4. 2024–2025: Continued criticism alongside conditional support

In the most recent years, Shapiro has:

• Criticized Trump’s fixation on grievances
• Said Trump is often his own worst enemy
• Argued Trump hurts the conservative movement with impulsive behavior

At the same time, Shapiro has acknowledged:

• Trump may still be preferable to Democrats from a policy standpoint
• Voters can rationally support Trump without approving of his conduct

Bottom line

Ben Shapiro has criticized Donald Trump consistently, especially on:

• Character
• Temperament
• Constitutional norms
• Election integrity
• Spending and executive overreach

What has changed is tone, not the existence of criticism. Shapiro moved from full opposition (2016) to conditional, pragmatic support with ongoing criticism — a position that puts him at odds with both Trump loyalists and Trump’s harshest critics.

If you want, I can pull direct quotes by year or compare Shapiro’s stance to other conservative commentators (e.g., never-Trump vs populist camps).