ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos pressed Republican Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce on supporting former President Donald Trump after he called for getting rid of provisions found in the Constitution.
The anchor expressed shock at the representative after revealing that he would support whoever the Republican nominee is, given that in a Truth Social post, Trump called for the “termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
“You voted for him in 2016 and 2020, now he’s talking about suspending the Constitution. Can you support a candidate in 2024 who is for suspending the Constitution?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“Again, it’s early. I think there’s gonna be a lot of people in the primary. I think at the end of the day, whoever the Republican we’ll pick…” Joyce answered.
“Even if it’s Trump who’s called for suspending the Constitution?” the anchor pressed.
Joyce suggested that Trump will not secure the nomination in 2024 given the “big field” of candidates who are likely to run in the primary. Stephanopoulos pushed back, asking whether he will support Trump if he becomes the nominee.
“I will support whoever the Republican nominee is,” he said. “And I don’t think at this point he will be able to get there because I think there are a lot of other good quality candidates out there.”
“That’s a remarkable statement, you just said you would support a candidate who’s come out for suspending the Constitution?” he said.
“Well, you know, he says a lot of things. You have to take him in context, you know. Right now, I have to worry about making sure it’s a Republican governance group and a Republican majority, that we make things work for the American people. And I can’t be really chasing all of these crazy statements that come out about from any of these candidates at this point.”
“But that’s an extraordinary statement, you can’t come out against someone who’s for suspending the Constitution?” he asked.
The representative assured Stephanopoulos that Trump has no power to suspend the Constitution, and that the country and the Republican Party are “moving forward.” Stephanopoulous concluded that he does not understand how he “can move forward” if the party’s nominee calls for suspending the Constitution. (RELATED: Pence Says Trump ‘Endangered Me And My Family’ On Jan. 6)
In a Saturday Truth Social post, the former president called for the elimination of all rules and regulations, including those in the Constitution, due to the alleged “massive and widespread fraud and deception” in the 2020 presidential election, though these claims have never been proven.
“So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD AND DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democratic Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”
The former president is the first to announce his 2024 presidential candidacy in a Nov. 15 statement at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Following the announcement, he has come under fire after recently hosting Kanye “Ye” West and white nationalist Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago. However, he has since said that he did not know about Fuentes’ background prior to having dinner with him.