Trump speaks with Stefanik as GOP moves forward with Biden impeachment inquiry

Former President Trump spoke Tuesday with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) shortly after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) directed committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Stefanik, the House Republican Conference chairwoman, confirmed they had spoken. A source familiar with the conversation said Trump and Stefanik spoke shortly after McCarthy made the announcement at the Capitol about the impeachment inquiry.

“I speak to President Trump a lot. I spoke to him today,” Stefanik told reporters.

Stefanik added that she believes Biden family’s business dealings are “the biggest political corruption scandal of our lifetime.”

Stefanik is a member of House Republican leadership, and her conversation with Trump underscores the degree to which the former president remains influential with House GOP lawmakers.

The New York Republican, who has been floated as a potential running mate for Trump in his 2024 White House bid, has for years been one of the former president’s staunchest defenders in the House. She was also among the earliest members of House GOP leadership to back pursuing impeachment against Biden.

Politico reported that Trump also had dinner in recent days with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and the topic of impeachment was discussed.

A Trump adviser was unable to confirm details of the dinner between Trump and Greene, who has been outspoken in pressing for Biden’s impeachment.

Trump, who was impeached twice during his four years in office, has not been shy about calling on Republicans to impeach Biden, his potential 2024 election rival.

The former president wrote in a late August post on Truth Social that Republicans should impeach Biden, or they would “fade into OBLIVION.”

McCarthy’s formal endorsement of impeachment came after he said for weeks that he believed the House probes would eventually develop into an impeachment inquiry. He had faced growing pressure from conservative members of the House to move forward with an inquiry.

In the months that the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has been investigating the Biden family business dealings, it has not found that the president directly financially benefited from his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings, or proved that he made any policy decisions because of them.

Mychael Schnell contributed.

Updated at 6:40 p.m.