Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday dismissed the notion that President Biden would be impeached over the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, arguing that a Democratic-controlled Congress would never allow it.
The impeachment question came during an event in the Republican leader’s home state of Kentucky.
“The president is not going to be removed from office. There’s a Democratic House, a narrowly Democratic Senate. That’s not going to happen,” Mr. McConnell said. “There isn’t going to be an impeachment.”
The GOP leader added that the only way to change the direction of the country is at the ballot box.
“In this country, the report card you get is every two years,” he said. “And we’re trying to hold down the damage until next year and I do think we’re likely to see a typical midterm reaction to a new administration. … Only twice in American history have presidents gained seats in Congress two years into [their] first term.”
Mr. McConnell said that most voters already likely have “buyer’s remorse” about the new administration, as evidenced by the fallout from Afghanistan.
The remarks follow several Republicans calling for Mr. Biden’s resignation or impeachment amid the Afghanistan imbroglio.
Republicans say Mr. Biden botched the withdrawal of U.S. troops and then failed to properly respond to the humanitarian and military crisis that affected American citizens and Afghan allies as the Taliban overran the country.
“To be a successful president, you have to have the faith, the trust, and the confidence of the American public,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican. “I think this president in this last month has lost that in so many different ways.”