Evan McMullin, a Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania graduate and CIA veteran, will make an Independent presidential bid as part of the "Never Trump" movement within the Republican Party. Photo courtesy of Evan McMullin

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Evan McMullin, a CIA veteran and the House Republican Conference's chief policy director, will make an Independent presidential run as part of the anti-Donald Trump movement in the GOP.

McMullin has never been elected into office but has an "impressive" resume, is connected to Republican politics and has the support of key Republican Party donors, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough reports.


After graduating with an MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, McMullin worked briefly for Goldman Sachs before beginning work on Capitol Hill.

McMullin has been a strong advocate of the "Never Trump" movement, previously saying opposing Trump is "about putting principle over power, a virtue some in Washington are too quick to abandon."

Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force. — Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) July 22, 2016

BuzzFeed News reports Rick Wilson, a media consultant based in Florida who is an outspoken Trump critic, is expected to be involved in McMullin's campaign. Wilson met with members of McMullin's prospective campaign on Sunday.

McMullin told ABC News that he will file his candidacy on Monday.

"In a year where Americans have lost faith in the candidates of both major parties, it's time for a generation of new leadership to step up. It's never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us. I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaffected Americans a conservative choice for President," McMullin said in a statement.

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