Donald Trump argued what we already know: Republicans’ baseless impeachment inquiry is motivated by politics and revenge. Trump’s admission comes after he had been telling his allies in the House to use the same debunked conspiracy theories to pursue their political stunts in an effort to help Trump’s presidential campaign.

Trump suggested that House Republicans are pursuing their impeachment sham as payback for his own impeachments.

Trump: “I think had they not done it to me — and I’m very popular, they like me and I like them, the Republican Party — perhaps you wouldn’t have it being done to them.”

Kate Sullivan, CNN: “Trump suggests Biden wouldn’t be facing an impeachment inquiry if he hadn’t been impeached.”

Trump was actively involved in Tuesday’s decision by Speaker-in-name-only Kevin McCarthy to ramp up the House GOP’s political games.

New York Times: “Trump Has Been Privately Encouraging G.O.P. Lawmakers to Impeach Biden”

Politico: “Trump privately discussed Biden impeachment with House GOPers”

The Hill: “Trump speaks with Stefanik as GOP moves forward with Biden impeachment inquiry”

Politico: “Donald Trump has been weighing in behind the scenes in support of the House GOP push to impeach President Joe Biden, including talking with a member of leadership in the lead up to Tuesday’s announcement authorizing a formal impeachment inquiry.”

Politico: “On Sunday night, Trump had dinner at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), an ally of Trump and McCarthy. At the gathering, the topic of impeachment was discussed, according to a person familiar with the conversation who spoke on condition of anonymity.”

New York Times: “Over the past several months, Mr. Trump has kept a close watch on House Republicans’ momentum toward impeaching Mr. Biden. Mr. Trump has talked regularly by phone with members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus and other congressional Republicans who pushed for impeachment, according to a person close to Mr. Trump who was not authorized to publicly discuss the conversations. Mr. Trump has encouraged the effort both privately and publicly.”

HuffPost: “New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman suggested Donald Trump was a driving force behind House Republicans’ newly-launched impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. ‘He is certainly somebody who supports it, is behind it, has been talking about it,’ Haberman told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday, noting that Trump has been discussing the subject both publicly and behind the scenes.”

Speaker-in-name-only Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans are exacting political revenge after Trump told them to do so, and McCarthy is even fundraising off this political stunt.

Melanie Zanona, CNN: “Meanwhile.. Trump’s patience with Republicans is starting to wear thin: Yesterday, he complained on Truth Social that the House GOP isn’t moving fast enough on a Biden impeachment. 

‘Either IMPEACH the BUM, or fade into OBLIVION,’ he wrote.”

Associated Press: “It’s a political escalation, urged on by Trump, after his own two impeachments. … Now, as the Republican party’s frontrunner for the nomination to take on Biden in 2024, Trump has long seethed over his impeachments at the hands of House Democrats. McCarthy has suggested the Trump impeachments could be expunged, as proposed by Stefanik and Greene. But Trump wants Biden to face similar impeachment charges.”
Sahil Kapur, NBC News: “Speaker McCarthy floats an ‘impeachment inquiry’ into President Biden in a text message to supporters, mentioning unproven allegations and adding a link to give money to his political operation.”