Donald Trump has expressed his fears that a third impeachment attempt to remove him from office could happen if the Republicans lose the upcoming midterms later this year.
The US president, who has been subject to impeachment proceedings twice in the past, revealed his concerns over a potential third attempt on Tuesday (January 6) as he warned that Democrats would ‘find a reason to impeach’ him, if Republicans didn’t band together.
The surprising admission of any kind of vulnerability marked a stark turning point for Trump, who seemingly carries himself as if he is both above the law and above the scrutiny of the American public.
“You got to win the midterms, because if we don’t win the midterms, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump said in an attempt to rally voters. “I’ll get impeached.”
Donald Trump addressed Republican representatives during a speech on Tuesday (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
With a string of pivotal midterm elections due to take place this year that could see the Republican grip on the US slipping, the president’s warning is the first indication we have had that he may not be quite so convinced of his ongoing appeal.
Democrats have been steadily gaining more traction in the polls throughout the first year of Trump’s second term, with concerns raised about his stance on immigration policy, his foreign policies and cavalier command of the economy among some of the key issues worrying voters.
Trump addressed representatives at the start of an all-day policy forum for House Republicans inside the Trump-Kennedy Center on Tuesday, a performing arts building recently renamed in his honor.
The US leader conceded that his agenda had so far failed to resonate with voters, while also berating the press for failing to report on his ‘achievements’, notably his record on illegal immigration and recent drug company deal to lower the price of many prescription meds.
Yet these, surprisingly, were not the areas he wanted Republicans to focus on in their upcoming campaign trails, instead encouraging them to address polarizing issues such as transgender women’s participation in sport and tackling violent crime.
In his hour long address, the president expressed his concerns over a potential third impeachment attempt (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
He also called upon the party to set aside their differences and show a unified front if they wanted to stand a hope in hell of beating the Democrats at the polls.
Trump urged House Republicans to reclaim health care from the Democrats as a political issue, particularly in the case of abortion legislation.
Many pro-life Republicans have taken issue with the language used surrounding the implementation of the Hyde Amendment, a law that has been in place since the 1980s and that restricted the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in certain cases.
Trump urged his party to remain ‘flexible’ on the issue, telling Representatives: “You got to be a little flexible. You got to work something. We’re all big fans of everything but you got to have flexibility.”
He’s also keen to roll out new guidance regarding mandatory voter ID, a subject seemingly close to the president’s heart, given that the January 6 Capitol riots appeared to largely stem from his persistent yet unproven claims that the 2020 election had been ‘stolen’ by Joe Biden.
