Why Republicans are finding it hard to defend Donald Trump’s ‘perfect’ Ukraine call
- Impeachment inquiry centres on what Democrats say is an improper quid pro quo offered by Trump to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnky
- Trump allegedly withheld military aid to the East European ally as he wanted Zelensky to investigate Trump’s potential 2020 rival, Joe Biden
That would require a level of consensus that Trump’s call with Ukraine president was “perfect”, as he insists. Or it would take a measure of Republican Party independence from Trump to suggest there may be a need to investigate. Instead, it’s every Republican for himself or herself.
Utah Senator Mitt Romney says the president’s actions toward Ukraine are “troubling”. Other Republicans say the behaviour may raise concerns, but it’s not impeachable.
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham calls the whole impeachment inquiry “BS”.
The result is a mishmash of Republican Party commentary spilling from Capitol Hill that may shield lawmakers, for now, from risky political choices, but leaves them with a disjointed defence of Trump as impeachment hearings push into the public realm this coming week.
“It’s not good,” said veteran Republican Party strategist Alex Conant. “Normally you want to establish the facts, get them out on their own terms, and build a message around that strategy. They’re not doing any of that. It’s hard to rally people to your side without a coherent and sustainable message.”
Early on, as the White House ceded the PR strategy to the president, Republicans in the House and Senate parted ways as they confronted the political threat posed by the Democrats’ impeachment investigation.