Sasse says he’d consider impeaching Trump

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said Friday he’d consider articles of impeachment from the House, saying he believes President Trump disregarded his oath of office. 

“If they come together and have a process, I will definitely consider whatever articles they might move, because as I told you I believe the president has disregarded his oath of office,” Sasse said in an interview on “CBS This Morning.”

“He swore an oath to the American people to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. He acted against that,” Sasse said. “What he did was wicked.” 

Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska has blamed President Trump for the violent assault on the Capitol, calling it an “inevitable and ugly outcome.”@SenSasse joins us now. pic.twitter.com/bZHDKuXEWx

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 8, 2021

Sasse in the interview hedged a bit, suggesting it might not be in the best interests of America to impeach Trump even if there had been impeachable conduct given he is only in office for another 12 days.

“The question is more of a prudential question. What is the best thing for America in 2022 or 2032. The question isn’t what’s best for Donald Trump,” Sasse said.

Trump has come under a bipartisan fury after inciting a mob that attacked the Capitol on Wednesday in one of the most disgraceful scenes in U.S. history.

For more than 24 hours, Trump did little to show any regret, instead sending out a video on Wednesday that spent more time repeating conspiracy theories over his November election loss than urging calm or pushing rioters to leave the Capitol. 

On Thursday evening, the president reversed course amid mounting political pressure, resignations from Cabinet officials and the real possibility he could face legal danger for his actions, condemning the riot in another video.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday said if Vice President Pence and Trump’s Cabinet did not invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump, impeachment proceedings would begin.

Sasse has been one of he most critical Republicans of Trump in the last week and is the first GOP senator to signal a clear openness to impeachment.