GOP Massachusetts governor says Trump should be removed from office

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) joined calls for President Trump to “step down” on Thursday, the day after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“I think people should pursue whatever they believe will make is possible — through the most expeditious way possible — for the president to step down and for the vice president to assume the powers of the office for the next 14 days so that an orderly transition can take place,” Baker said a statehouse press conference, The Boston Herald reported.

Baker said that the riot at the Capitol was “a dark moment for our country” made even worse due to “the president’s role leading up to it and his wholly inadequate response to the violence.”

The Massachusetts Republican has broken with Trump more than once in the past, including refusing to support his claims of election fraud.

“Whatever the mechanism it is for doing that, I leave it up to the people in Washington,” Baker said. “I think it’s important at this point that there be an orderly transition and that that transition be led by the vice president.”

All of the Massachusetts congressional delegation believes Trump should step down, a position held by a growing number of leaders from both sides of the aisle.

Calls are rising for either impeachment or for Vice President Pence to enact the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office. 

During the rioting, Trump tweeted a video repeating his election fraud claims and calling the rioters “special” people after they forced their way into the Capitol. 

“This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people,” Trump said. “We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace.”