Primary challenger Weld accuses Trump of committing treason ‘pure and simple’ with Ukraine call

Bill Weld, the former Massachusetts governor seeking to challenge President Trump in a GOP primary, said the president’s efforts to pressure Ukraine’s leadership into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden’s son amount to “treason pure and simple.”

“Talk about pressuring a foreign country to interfere and control a U.S. election,” Weld said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

{mosads}”It couldn’t be clearer. That’s not just undermining democratic institutions. That is treason. It’s treason pure and simple.”

Fmr. Gov. of Massachusetts Bill Weld: “Talk about pressuring a foreign country to interfere with and control a US election. It couldn’t be clearer. That’s not just undermining Democratic institutions. That is treason. It’s treason pure and simple.”https://t.co/PKXEfFVEBp

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 23, 2019

Weld said Trump should be removed from office for the offense, after noting that the penalty for treason is death. He suggested being removed from office would be “a pretty good alternative” for the president.

It’s unclear whether the storm will lead Democrats in the House to impeach Trump. 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been hesitant to take that step, partly for fear it would boomerang on Democrats in next year’s elections. But pressure on her is growing from Democrats over the Ukraine calls.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Trump repeatedly pressured Ukraine’s leader to investigate Biden and Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son. It is not clear, however, that Trump threatened to withhold aid to Ukraine over the issue, something lawmakers now want to investigate.

Trump has said he did nothing wrong in his communications with Ukraine. 

Weld faces an uphill climb in challenging Trump. He is one of three former GOP officeholders doing so, but some state parties have called off primaries to prevent a direct challenge to Trump. 

Trump also has broad support within the GOP, according to numerous polls.