Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who has supported impeachment proceedings against President Trump, said the president’s “thumping defeat” in 2020 would be better for the United States than his removal from office.
“The impeachment process is based on a constitutional standard and needs to run its course accordingly,” Buttigieg told the Boston Globe on Thursday. “I will say that there would be a lot of benefit to Trump and Trumpism getting a resounding, thumping defeat at the ballot box because I think that is what will be required for congressional Republicans to be reunited with their conscience.”
His comments came shortly after the Democratic-led House voted along party lines to pass a resolution for how it will move forward with impeachment hearings.
Many of Buttigieg’s 2020 Democratic rivals backed impeachment proceedings before the South Bend, Indiana, mayor came out in favor. Buttigieg said in May that it was “very clear that the president deserves impeachment.”
“Impeachment is not about solving our political problems. Impeachment is about accountability for an abuse of power,” Buttigieg said Thursday.
