Furious Trump discusses his own impeachment in chaotic press conference
'What do you do? Do you impeach somebody because they created the greatest economic success in the history of our country?' The president asks
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Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Donald Trump has dismissed the potential for impeachment proceedings against him and Mike Pence in an ill-tempered press conference the day after the midterm elections.
The president referred to those who have called for his impeachment as “sick,” suggesting members of the Democratic Party supported ousting him and his vice president, as well as new Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh. The press conference arrived shortly after Democrats regained control of the US House of Representatives, seemingly causing Mr Trump to defend his own influence on an election he hoped would serve as a positive referendum on his presidency.
He said he had not discussed potential impeachment proceedings when speaking with Nancy Pelosi this week, before rhetorically asking reporters, “What do you do? Do you impeach somebody because they created the greatest economic success in the history of our country?”
“‘No, but let’s impeach him anyway!’” he continued. “I hate to say this, but after him, we’re going to impeach the vice president. We’re going to impeach Mike Pence.’ Mike Pence doesn’t get impeached for anything.”
Mr Trump’s press conference was an immediate controversy, as the president engaged in a tense fight with CNN’s Jim Acosta, smacked down reporter April Ryan, repeatedly suggested he could not understand foreign reporters due to their accents and refused to acknowledge the Republican Party’s shortcomings with female voters on Tuesday.
He went on to lambaste his opponents on several occasions, including during his response to Daily Mail’s Francesca Chambers, who asked about whether or not he had spoken about impeachment proceedings with Democratic leadership.
“These people are sick and you know what? They have to get their bearing. Really. They have to get their bearing,” he added. “And when you ask about division, they’re the ones that cause division, they cause tremendous division.”
Meanwhile, Ms Pelosi, slated to become the next speaker of the House, has shied away from expressing support for the president’s impeachment.
Shortly before her party’s election victories, the House minority leader said she would not seek to immediately impeach Mr Trump if the Democrats regained control.
“I get criticized in my own party for not being in support of it,” she said. “But I'm not. If that happens, it would have to be bipartisan, and the evidence would have to be so conclusive.”
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