Former GOP rep. says Republicans are twisting themselves 'into pretzels' defending the ex-president
On The Mehdi Hasan Show Sunday, former Republican Representative Joe Walsh of Illinois addressed how many Republicans in Congress have rushed to the defense of former President Donald Trump. Last Monday, the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Springs, Florida, which reportedly turned up some highly classified documents that would be illegal for the former president to have in his possession.
“This may be an inappropriate thing to say, but, Mehdi, I find it so funny watching my former colleagues twist into pretzels trying to defend criminal behavior,” Walsh said. “And that’s what they’ve done for the last six years.”
The rhetoric coming from Trump and some of his GOP supporters in Congress has already had alarming consequences. A man was shot and killed by authorities in Ohio after he attacked an FBI field office in Cincinnati, and armed protestors showed up outside the FBI office in Phoenix, Arizona. Walsh believes this is exactly what Trump wants, just as the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol was what Trump wanted, according to Walsh.
“Donald Trump wanted January 6th to happen. That was the whole point of the stolen election lie. Trump wanted there to be chaos, and he wanted there to be violence if he lost that election,” Walsh said. “The same thing, Mehdi, is going on this week. Trump wants there to be violent threats, and he wants there to be violence against members of the FBI.”
Video Transcript
JOE WALSH: This may be an inappropriate thing to say. But Mehdi, I find it so funny watching my former colleagues twist into pretzels trying to defend criminal behavior. And that's what they've done for the last six years.
KYLIE MAR: Former Republican Representative Joe Walsh appeared on "The Mehdi Hasan Show" Sunday, where he addressed congressional Republicans coming to the defense of former President Donald Trump, who reportedly took highly classified documents to his home at Mar-a-Lago, which was raided by the FBI last Monday. As the FBI faces an unprecedented level of violent threats from Trump supporters since the raid, Walsh compared what's happening now to the chaos of January 6.
JOE WALSH: Trump wanted there to be chaos, and he wanted there to be violence if he lost that election. The same thing, Mehdi, is going on this week. Trump wants there to be violent threats, and he wants there to be violence against members of the FBI.
KYLIE MAR: The anti-FBI rhetoric coming from Trump and some in the GOP has already had alarming consequences. One man was killed by authorities after he attacked the FBI office in Cincinnati. And armed protesters showed up outside the FBI office in Phoenix. But because news of the raid and how Trump has spun it has helped him immensely with GOP voters, congressional Republicans must toe the party line.
JOE WALSH: I know this is really difficult for all of us to grasp, but this is exactly what Trump wants. And he's the leader of that party. And members of that party have to try to defend that.
