Republican senators say they feel a sense of growing regret over not standing up to President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police officer dies following riotsDonor who gave millions to Hawley urges Senate to censure him for ‘irresponsible’ behaviorKellyanne Conway condemns violence, supports Trump in statement on Capitol riotsMORE sooner a day after a violent mob ransacked the Capitol building in one of the darkest and most humiliating days in U.S. history.
One Republican senator who requested anonymity to discuss his conversations with GOP colleagues acknowledged GOP lawmakers should have served as a stronger check on the president over the past four years.
We should have done more to push back, both against his rhetoric and some of the things he did legislatively, said the lawmaker. The mistake we made is that we always thought he was going to get better. We thought that once he got the nomination, and then once he got a Cabinet he was going to get better, he was going to be more presidential.
Many Republicans are shell-shocked over the horrific scenes at the Capitol, and seem to be trying to come to grips with their role in the disaster.
The mob that hit the Capitol was filled with people who believed Trumps claims of a rigged election despite a lack of any serious evidence. It served as a symbol of the fact that many Americans are now moving through a reality no longer based on real facts or the truth.
The GOP senator said he and his colleagues expected Trump would eventually accept the results of the election after courts ruled against his legal teams challenges, which were resoundingly dismissed by Republican- and Democratic-appointed judges alike.
But Trump never did, and most Republicans including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell ousts Senate sergeant-at-arms after Capitol riotsCapitol Police rejected offer for help from National Guard days before deadly riot: reportShellshocked GOP ponders future with TrumpMORE (R-Ky.) held back any sharp criticism.
This was largely because Republicans calculated they needed Trump to get out the vote in two runoff races to decide the Senate majority in Georgia.
Though Trump lost the presidential election, turnout was historic for both parties and Democrats had a disappointing election when it came to the races for the House and Senate. Republicans cut into the Democratic majority in the House in what was a surprise on election night, and Democrats failed to take the Senate after losing in Maine, North Carolina, Montana and other races.
Much of this was attributed to Trump bringing out his supporters, which led Republicans to put their hopes in him doing so again for the two Georgia races in January.
Republicans were worried Trumps rhetoric was too focused on his unsubstantiated claims of fraud and feared it could backfire, but criticism of the president was muted as it was for much of the last four years.
McConnell finally ripped the challenges by Trump and his allies of the election results in a floor speech Wednesday, shortly before the Senate was overtaken by thugs. It was also the day the Georgia gambit proved a failure and Democrats won control of the Senate.
The Republican leadership explained repeatedly that wed need Trump to help get votes out, said the lawmaker, who added that colleagues worried the president would find a way to sabotage them in Georgia runoff races if they quickly acknowledged Joe BidenJoe BidenCapitol Police officer dies following riotsRep. Joaquin Castro wants to prevent Federal government from ever naming buildings, property after TrumpTucker Carlson: Trump ‘recklessly encouraged’ Capitol riotersMORE as president-elect or forcefully dismissed claims of widespread voter fraud.
But now theres a sense among a growing number of GOP lawmakers that Trump may have inflicted long-term damage on their party, an anxiety heightened by the debacle of a pro-Trump mob storming and occupying the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday as Congress was meeting to finalize Bidens election as the nations 46th president.
Theres more concern about the long-term damage to the party than losing two Senate seats in Georgia, the GOP senator said.
A second Republican senator who requested anonymity said Trump had inflicted serious damage on his party.
Every time you think the president has done everything he could possibly do to fuck things up then he comes out with a tweet, like the election was invalid and the one in Georgia would be invalid, said the lawmaker, referring to Trumps tweets Friday declaring the runoff elections to be illegal and invalid.
The feelings of remorse are only now being expressed privately after Republican senators spent much of the past four years dodging questions about Trumps controversial tweets, statements and decisions.
While Republicans did chide Trump from time to time, such as when the president declined to condemn groups such as the Proud Boys, who were linked to Wednesdays violence, they often did so without direct and forceful criticism.
There were exceptions though, such as when Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsHere’s why Manchin, Romney and Collins are about to wield serious Senate powerHow Biden can repair the rocky road Trump left behind Republican infighting on election intensifiesMORE (R-Maine), said Trump appeared unsympathetic after peaceful protesters were pepper sprayed in front of the White House in June so the president could pose with a Bible in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church.
Graham on Thursday said Trump had tarnished his legacy by not condemning Wednesdays debacle at the Capitol.
Graham defended his support for Trump over the past four years as being driven by constituents at home who wanted him to work with the president.
The reason Ive been close to the president is I think hes done tremendous things for this country. I think the judges hes nominated have been outstanding choices, he said.
But he said it breaks my heart that my friend, a president of consequence, were to allow yesterday to happen and it will be a major part of his presidency
It was a self-inflicted wound, it was going too far, he added.
Asked if he should have spoken out more when Trump crossed the line during his four years in office, Graham acknowledged he could have but also deflected blame on the media for not covering the president more fairly.
I have spoken up, he said. All I can say is that I have shared my thoughts with the president. I have spoken up when I thought I should.
Could have I done better? Yes. The question: Could you have done better? Could those of you who cover the White House done better? You need to ask yourself that, he told reporters.
Some Republican senators are now wringing their hands over the agonizing thought that had they shutdown Trumps baseless voter-fraud claims in November, they might not have derailed Republican turnout in Georgia.
Senate Republican Whip John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneShellshocked GOP ponders future with TrumpGOP senators blame Trump after mob overruns CapitolEric Trump warns of primary challenges for Republicans who don’t object to election resultsMORE (S.D.) on Wednesday said Trumps rhetoric created a political headwind for Sens. Kelly LoefflerKelly LoefflerLoeffler concedes to WarnockAlpha Phi Alpha fraternity congratulates member Raphael Warnock on victory in GeorgiaShellshocked GOP ponders future with TrumpMORE (R-Ga.) and David PerdueDavid PerdueLoeffler concedes to WarnockShellshocked GOP ponders future with TrumpBowser reiterates call for DC statehood after Capitol riotsMORE (R-Ga.), who both lost races that GOP senators had expected them to win.
There were really mixed messages being sent, which is not helpful, because you had a lot of voters who were confused about whether or not their vote was going to matter, he said.
When your most effective argument is youre going to be a check and balance against a Biden/Pelosi/Schumer agenda but you cant acknowledge that Biden won, it puts you in a really difficult position, he later explained.
Thune also said Trumps veto of the annual defense bill, which passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, and his threat to veto a year-end coronavirus relief bill made it difficult for Loeffler and Perdue.
Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Aftermath of terror at the US CapitolRomney calls for nation to heal ‘social sickness’ after four years of TrumpAirlines boosting security as protesters leave DC after riotsMORE (R-Utah), an outspoken Trump critic and the only GOP senator to vote to convict him on an article of impeachment in February, on Wednesday accused Trump of inciting an insurrection and warned that Republicans such as Sens. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzRep. Joaquin Castro wants to prevent Federal government from ever naming buildings, property after TrumpLimbaugh dismisses calls to end violence after mob hits CapitolMcMaster: Trump ‘compromised our principles’ for ‘personal gain’MORE (R-Texas) and Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyDonor who gave millions to Hawley urges Senate to censure him for ‘irresponsible’ behaviorSimon & Schuster cancels publication of Hawley’s bookMcMaster: Trump ‘compromised our principles’ for ‘personal gain’MORE (R-Mo.), who are publicly sympathetic to the presidents claims of widespread voter fraud are participating in a dangerous gambit.
He warned that they will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history.
In an essay for Deseret Magazine, Romney lamented public figures stoking divisiveness and anger to help themselves politically.
“Most disappointing of all, too many political figures have stoked these divisions,” he wrote.
Only six Republican senators ultimately voted to sustain an objection raised by Cruz to Arizonas electoral slate on Wednesday after 13 Republicans signaled before the polls closed in Georgia Tuesday that they would support such an objection. Only seven GOP senators supported a second objection raised by Hawley to Pennsylvanias election results.
The drop-off in support was a reflection of Trumps plummeting political stock after the loss of the Senate majority and his response to the rioting in the Capitol.
Many Republicans are scrambling to distance themselves from Trump after he publicly pressured Vice President Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard PenceWarren claps back at DeVos following resignation announcement: ‘Good riddance’Tucker Carlson: Trump ‘recklessly encouraged’ Capitol riotersWSJ editorial board says ‘best case’ is for Trump to resign amid calls for his removal MORE to unilaterally attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election at a joint session of Congress on Wednesday and then kept silent after a pro-Trump mobbed swarmed the Capitol and Senate chamber, sending lawmakers to secure rooms while police locked down the campus.
When Trump finally did speak, he expressed affection and support for the rioters while reiterated debunked claims of widespread election fraud.
Sen. Kevin CramerKevin John CramerGOP senators blame Trump after mob overruns CapitolOvernight Defense: Capitol overrun by pro-Trump rioters | Entire DC National Guard activated | 38-year-old soldier dies of COVID-19Lawmakers say work certifying Biden win to continue tonightMORE (R-N.D.), who has been a strong Trump ally during his first term, late on Wednesday said I do think the president bears some responsibility for the violence and chaos on Capitol Hill, which disrupted the Electoral College vote count.
I do think the president bears some responsibility. Certainly, he bears responsibility for his own actions and his own words and today in watching his speech, I have to admit I gasped, Cramer said.
Cramer said Trumps treatment of Pence was unjustified, wrong and is really, really unfortunate.
Trump declared in a tweet since deleted that Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution in tweet that he since deleted.
Repeated widely dismissed claims of voter fraud, Trump said Pence could have given States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify.
Sen. Jim InhofeJames (Jim) Mountain InhofeGOP senator says he’s never seen Pence so angry amid Trump calls to block election certificationElectoral College fight splits GOP as opposition grows to election challengeTrump raises pressure on Pence, incorrectly stating he could throw out electorsMORE (R-Okla.), another staunch Trump ally, said he later spoke with Pence, whom he described as furious over the presidents treatment.
Ive known Mike Pence forever, Inhofe told the Tulsa World. Ive never seen Pence as angry as he was today.
Inhofe also said that Trump should have done more to stop the rioting.
Hes only put out one statement that Im aware of, he said. This was really a riot. He should have shown more disdain for the rioters. I dont want to say he should have apologized thats not exactly accurate but he should have expressed more disdain.
