Donald Trump Calls on Mitch McConnell to be Impeached

Donald Trump has suggested Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell should be impeached, for "allowing" Democrats to "blow up the debt ceiling."

The former president made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on John Fredericks' Real America's Voice show.

"Democrats are scheming, probably with some of the RINOs, in order to blow the debt ceiling up," Fredericks said. "What is your position on that?"

Republican in Name Only, or RINO, is a derogative term some Trump supporters use for GOP politicians they think are too liberal or moderate.

"It's crazy what's happening with this debt ceiling," Trump replied. "Mitch McConnell keeps allowing it to happen. I mean they ought to impeach Mitch McConnell if he allows that. Frankly, Mitch McConnell – they have something on him."

Despite Trump's suggestion, it is far from clear whether McConnell could actually be impeached.

According to the U.S constitution, impeachment can be used against the "President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States."

Impeachment proceedings haven't targeted an individual Senator since 1799, when a case against Tennessee Senator William Blount was rejected due to lack of jurisdiction.

There are concerns the federal debt ceiling, which controls how much money the government can borrow to fund its debts, could be reached either later this year or in 2023.

According to the New York Times, some Democrats are pushing for Congress to raise the debt limit "substantially" if Republicans look set to take control after next week's midterm elections.

McConnell has not said he supports the debt ceiling being raised, and Republicans in general are passionately opposed.

Trump has been openly hostile of McConnell over the past few months, branding the GOP Senate leader "the broken crow."

In September, writing on his Truth Social website, he said: "McConnell could have stopped everything had he used the Debt Ceiling, but now Trillions of Dollars are being wasted on nonsense. The Broken Crow is so bad at what he does, which seems to be, working for the Democrat Party."

The former president later added: "McConnell approving all of these Trillions of Dollars worth of Democrat sponsored Bills, without even the slightest bit of negotiation, because he hates Donald J. Trump, and he knows I am strongly opposed to them, or is he doing it because he believes in the Fake and Highly Destructive Green New Deal, and is willing to take the Country down with him?

"In any event, either reason is unacceptable. He has a DEATH WISH."

Trump is due to hold a rally in Iowa later on Thursday, followed by Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio rallies from Saturday to Monday.

A Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll, conducted for Newsweek, found 61 percent of eligible American voters think President Biden is either "significantly" or "fairly" responsible for the current U.S. inflation rate.

Some 41 percent of U.S. voters are either planning to vote early for the upcoming midterms, or have already done so, according to a Gallup survey conducted between October 3 and 20.

Newsweek has reached out to Mitch McConnell for comment.