Trump calls on Republicans to ‘get rid’ of Cheney, other GOP critics

Former President Trump during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) called out by name each of the 17 Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach or convict him and called on Republicans to “get rid” of them. 

Trump on Sunday labeled the seven senators and 10 House members as “grandstanders” and concluded his list of disloyal lawmakers with House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), whom he called a “warmonger” and a “person that loves seeing our troops fighting.”

The former president praised the Wyoming Republican Party’s censure of Cheney following her vote to impeach him, telling the conservative crowd that it was “good news.” 

“So hopefully they’ll get rid of her with the next election,” he said. “Get rid of ‘em all.”

Trump used his speech at CPAC, his first major public appearance since leaving the presidency, to solidify his hold as the leader of the Republican Party after the impeachment vote exposed fissions in the GOP.

Cheney was not in attendance at the conference after she received backlash for her vote to impeach Trump following the riot at the Capitol.

Last week, she split from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) during a press conference when she said she didn’t think Trump should speak at CPAC due to his role in the riot at the Capitol. 

Several of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump have been censured by state and county political parties. 

Some of the GOP House members who backed impeachment are expected to face pro-Trump contenders in upcoming primaries, including Cheney and Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), whose opponent Trump has already endorsed. 

The conference’s straw poll showed that the former president maintains majority support within the party, with 55 percent of participants saying they would back Trump in a 2024 presidential run.  

The House impeached Trump for inciting the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. The Senate dismissed the charge, but the upper chamber had the most bipartisan support for conviction during an impeachment trial in history.