White House calls on GOP lawmakers to reject Trump’s Constitution comments

The White House on Monday called on Republican lawmakers in Congress to reject former President Trump’s rhetoric saying parts of the Constitution should be disregarded to allow him to return to power. 

“Every President and every member of Congress swears to ‘defend’ the Constitution of the United States,” deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “Asking Members of Congress to reaffirm their oath of office and uphold the Constitution should not be a heavy lift. Congressional Republicans need to do that immediately, instead of repeatedly refusing to answer the most basic question.”

Trump in recent days has responded to internal Twitter communications in the closing weeks of the 2020 campaign that showed company officials deciding to limit the spread of posts about allegations against Hunter Biden, the now-president’s son.

The former president has repeatedly said the 2020 election should be redone, or that he should be declared the winner.

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social.

The White House criticized Trump’s post at the time, saying attacks on the Constitution “and all it stands for is anathema to the soul of our nation, and should be universally condemned.”

Amid extensive media coverage, Trump on Monday argued he did not say he wanted to “terminate” the Constitution, but reiterated his call for a new election or an undoing of the 2020 results.

Few Republicans have spoken out about Trump’s rhetoric, and GOP leaders in Congress have yet to address his comments over the weekend.

Former Vice President Mike Pence said on a South Carolina radio show on Monday morning that “everyone that serves in public office, everyone that aspires to serve or serve again should make it clear that we will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who defeated a Trump-backed challenger in last month’s midterm elections, said that suggesting the termination of the Constitution “is not only a betrayal of our Oath of Office, it’s an affront to our Republic.”