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GOP congressman compares his party’s obsession with Trump to the Titanic sinking

Critic of former president says he would be first to board a ‘lifeboat’ if GOP sinks

Gino Spocchia
Monday 10 May 2021 14:26 BST
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Adam Kinzinger compares GOP obsession with Trump to Titanic sinking
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The obsession with Donald Trump among the GOP is comparable to the “slow sinking” of the Titanic, according to congressman Adam Kinzinger.

In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, the Illinois congressman warned that the future of the GOP was “not good” if it continued obsessing over the former president.

In fact, the current situation was on par with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, Mr Kinzinger claimed, with Mr Trump accused of being among the first to board a lifeboat.

“Right now it’s basically the Titanic. We’re...in the middle of this slow sink,” the congressman told CBS. “We have a band playing on the deck telling everybody it’s fine.”

“Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s running around trying to find women’s clothing and get on the first lifeboat,” Mr Kinzinger told CBS, in reference to the film. “I think there’s a few of us that are just saying, ‘Guys, this is not good’ — not just for the future of the party, but this is not good for the future of this country.”

Mr Kinzinger, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, referenced the Titanic tragedy amid a falling-out between two warring factions of the GOP — with conference chair Liz Cheney facing threats of removal.

Accusing GOP minority leader Kevin McCarthy of flip-flopping on his criticism of Mr Trump for January’s Capitol insurrection, Mr Kinzinger continued: “Liz Cheney is saying exactly what Kevin McCarthy said the day of the insurrection.”

“She's just consistently been saying it. And a few weeks later, Kevin McCarthy changed to attacking other people,” Mr Kinzinger alleged — adding the GOP still needed to review the insurrection, carried out by supporters of Mr Trump, “in full”.

Mr Kinzinger was one of 10 GOP House members to vote to impeach Mr Trump for inciting insurrection in January.

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