Oct 22, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Trump: Republicans must get tougher and fight impeachment threat

President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a Cabinet meeting in the White House, Oct. 21. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Trump denounced Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) Monday as he said Republicans "have to get tougher and fight" because the Democrats are "trying to hurt" the GOP before the 2020 election, as the House impeachment inquiry looms.

"I think they're lousy politicians. But two things they have: They're vicious and they stick together. They don't have Mitt Romney in their midst. They don't have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off."

— Trump speaking about Democrats

The big picture: Trump made the remarks during a lengthy Cabinet meeting, a day after "Axios on HBO" broadcast an interview with Romney during which he said Trump's appeals to China and Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden were "shocking" and a "mistake."

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Axios

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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

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Why it matters: Because the Constitution gives Congress the power to appropriate federal spending, Trump has limited authority to act unilaterally — and risks a legal challenge if congressional Democrats believe he has overstepped.

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Why it matters: The explosion is likely to accelerate a painful cycle Lebanon was already living through — discontent, economic distress, and emigration.