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Donald Trump's expressed desire to terminate the Constitution will result in further violence unless it is fully denounced by the GOP, an expert has said.
Eric J. Segall, professor of law at Georgia State University College of Law and Constitutional expert, has condemned the Republican leaders who still have not spoken out about Trump's controversial comments on Truth Social.
While continuing to push the false claim that he lost the 2020 Election due to widespread voter fraud, Trump asked if the democratic election results should be thrown out and he be installed as president, or even a new election between him and Joe Biden take place.
"A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution," Trump wrote. "Our great 'Founder' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!"
While a handful of GOP lawmakers have condemned the comment from Trump— who is already accused of inciting the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol—Segall told Newsweek that action must be taken by leading figures such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to prevent further violence from the former president's supporters.
"It feels like this Republican Party is willing to say the Republican Party is more important than the Constitution, and reasonable disagreements about the Constitution should be met with force, not elections. And that's terrifying," Segall told Newsweek.
"Trump is telling his people, and he has millions of them, to use violence to overthrow the government."
As well as McCarthy and McConnell, Segall also called on Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts to also denounce Trump for attacking the Constitution.
"Who better than the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to come out and say, 'this is a dire threat to the Constitution and we shouldn't just pass it off,'" Segall added.
The White House also issued a statement attacking the GOP figures who have not spoken out against the comments from their potential 2024 presidential candidate.
"Every president and every member of Congress swears to defend the Constitution of the United States," Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said.
"Asking members of Congress to reaffirm their oath of office and uphold the Constitution should not be a heavy lift. Congressional Republicans need to do that immediately, instead of repeatedly refusing to answer the most basic question."
In the wake of the criticism he received over his Constitution remarks, Trump wrongly claimed that he never called for the supreme law of the nation to be terminated while continuing to push the false claim the 2020 election was rigged.
"What I said was that when there is 'MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION,' as has been irrefutably proven in the 2020 Presidential Election, steps must be immediately taken to RIGHT THE WRONG. Only FOOLS would disagree with that and accept STOLEN ELECTIONS. MAGA," Trump posted on Truth Social.
This is the second time in a matter of days that the GOP have been urged to condemn Trump for his actions.
Trump was widely criticized for hosting a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort with white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and antisemitic rapper Kanye West.
Instead of denouncing the pair, Trump said he was merely helping West because he is a "seriously troubled man" who has been "decimated in his business and virtually everything else" following his controversial comments. Trump also said he didn't know who Fuentes was when he arrived at his Florida home with West.
The incidents arrive as some factions in the GOP urged the party to move on from Trump in the wake of the midterms, in which a host of Trump-endorsed MAGA and election-denying candidates lost their races.
Speaking to Newsweek, Segall suggested that the more the GOP distances itself from Trump, the "more he will call for violence," which may ultimately hurt his influence on the party.
In the wake of January 6 riot, Segall also warned against dismissing Trump's rhetoric or what he is capable over the over the next two years.
"No one thought he would win the presidency, he did. Many people thought he wouldn't leave the presidency, he almost didn't," Segall said. "We should not underestimate this move towards violence until the threat is over. And the threat is by no means over."
Trump has been contacted for comment.
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About the writer
Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, and Florida ... Read more