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GOP Nebraska Representative Don Bacon wants his fellow Republicans to move on from Donald Trump and to stop defending him after he has been indicted in the classified documents case.
A federal grand jury indicted Trump on a total of 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information, making Trump the first former president to face federal criminal charges in United States history. Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.
Special counsel Jack Smith was appointed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to oversee the case after the FBI seized hundreds of classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate last August. The FBI search came months after he was issued a subpoena requiring him to return all documents. The former president denied any wrongdoing throughout the course of the investigation. Last week, Smith said that Trump is facing charges related to violations of the country's national security laws and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
"We have someone that has hundreds and hundreds of top secrets in his house, showing it to uncleared people and then lied about it. I am not in the mood for defending that. I don't think my colleagues should either," Bacon told CNN correspondent Manu Raju on Thursday.
Hardliners vow DOJ retribution. Bob Good: "We should impeach Merrick Garland" and Chris Wray
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 15, 2023
GOP Rep. Don Bacon warns his colleagues: "We have someone that has hundreds and hundreds of top secrets in his house, showing it to uncleared people and then lied about it." pic.twitter.com/DN1oPZ96qc
The unsealed indictment was released on Friday, revealing the various locations where Trump kept the documents, including a bathroom, a ballroom, his bedroom, and in an office space. With the documents scattered across Mar-a-Lago, tens of thousands of people could have had access to them, according to the indictment.
Bacon is concerned about the details in the indictment, according to CNN, and thinks that the GOP should move on from Trump. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell seems to agree with that view as he steered clear of defending Trump, while Representative Dan Crenshaw recently said, "It's very problematic. There's a reason I'm not defending it."
However, others strongly defended the former president following the indictment and issued stark warnings after he was indicted, with one GOP lawmaker declaring a "war phase" has been reached. The indictment also angered MAGA Republicans and conservatives who have long been avid supporters of Trump.
"We have now reached a war phase. Eye for an eye," Representative Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, recently tweeted, which former White House strategist Steve Bannon shared on Gettr, writing: "brother Biggs Goes Old Testament..."
Meanwhile, Representative Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, tweeted, "President Trump said he has 'been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM.' This is a perimeter probe from the oppressors. Hold. rPOTUS has this. Buckle up. 1/50K know your bridges. Rock steady calm. That is all."
Last week, Trump reacted to the news of his indictment in a series of Truth Social posts, accusing the Biden administration of being "corrupt" and calling it a "dark day" for America.
"This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!" he wrote about the indictment.
The former president who announced his presidential bid last November has not withdrawn from the 2024 race so far, despite his mounting legal battles.
Newsweek reached out by email to Trump's media office for comment.
About the writer
Fatma Khaled is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, world ... Read more