Tonight on Twitter, Transnational Crime Syndicate Leader Trump echoed many Fox “News” (and Fox “Business”) hostsandguests (along with other right-wing outlets) who are pushing the baseless authoritarian “coup” insinuation by tweeting that the impeachment efforts are a “coup” against him.
Jon Sharman and Andrew Buncombe at The Independent:
Donald Trump has issued his most inflammatory condemnation yet of the impeachment investigation against him, labelling it “a COUP” designed to strip Americans of their freedoms.
The president is being investigated over a phone call to Ukraine‘s Volodymyr Zelensky in which it is said he tried to leverage military aid for personal political gain.
On Tuesday night, Mr Trump tweeted: “As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People, their VOTE, their Freedoms, their Second Amendment, Religion, Military, Border Wall, and their God-given rights as a Citizen of The United States of America!”
The outburst came as officials inside his administration agreed to provide testimony for the investigation.
President Donald Trump tweeted on Tuesday night that the Democrats’ investigation into the Ukraine scandal “is not an impeachment, it is a COUP”— an authoritarian rhetorical escalation that shows how unstable American politics could become as the impeachment process goes on.
Definitionally, a coup refers to the overthrow of a leader by the country’s security forces. Obviously, that’s not what’s happening here: House Democrats are initiating a legal process for removing the president enshrined in the Constitution, pretty much the opposite of an extrajudicial overthrow of a leader by military force.
By labeling impeachment a “coup,” Trump is attempting to label it illegitimate — arguing that it’s an attempt to nullify the will of the voters, and thus undemocratic. If Trump is actually removed from office, it’ll happen because a majority of the House impeaches him and two-thirds of senators vote to kick him out. That result is unlikely, and it’s hardly undemocratic.
The president’s language echoes that of some of his closest advisers, who have railed against the inquiry in recent days. On Tuesday, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro likened the effort to “an attempted coup d’etat” in an interview with Fox Business Network. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, one of Trump’s most ardent surrogates, also used that phrase during an interview with the network.
Trump and his allies have been scrambling to contain the fallout after an intelligence community whistleblower filed a complaint over the July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During that conversation, Trump repeatedly pressed Zelensky to do the U.S. a “favor” and investigate one of his prime political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden, and Biden’s son Hunter, who served for five years on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
Earth to Mr. Lyin’ Donald (aka Criminal-in-Chief): the impeachment inquiry against you is NOT a “coup”, but a lawful and legitimate inquiry into your criminal authoritarian deeds! If you are indeed removed from office, then VP Mike Pence (R) takes over as President for the remainder of your term that ends on 01.20.2021.
And speaking of coups, it’s Mr. Trump and his henchmen (eg. William Barr, Mike Pompeo) that are leading a coup d’état against the democratic and Constitutional norms of our nation.