Donald Trump’s call for China to investigate Bidens wins support from Republicans
- US president raised ‘appropriate’ issues, Vice-President Mike Pence says
- But Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse says ‘Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for the truth’
Several House and Senate leaders stayed mum on Friday as Trump escalated the controversy that has fuelled an impeachment inquiry and ploughed through another norm of American politics. The quiet continued as House Democrats released a trove of text messages showing US diplomats conducted a campaign to push Ukraine to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination to face Trump next November, and Biden’s son, Hunter.
Foreign interference in elections has long been viewed as a threat to US sovereignty and the integrity of democracy, and soliciting foreign help in an election is illegal.
But Trump found support in his willingness to openly challenge that convention. Vice-President Mike Pence made clear he backed the president and said he believed he was raising “appropriate” issues. Other allies agreed.
“I don’t think there’s anything improper about doing that,” Republican Party Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said of Trump’s call on China to investigate the Bidens.
