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New details have been revealed about an expletive-laden phone call between President Donald Trump and a senior Republican as the riots on the US Capitol raged last month.
According to CNN, when Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy called Mr Trump to ask him to intervene, the former president refused and the call become heated.
Republicans who were later briefed on the call by Mr McCarthy have told CNN the conversation took place as rioters invaded the Capitol building.
Mr McCarthy allegedly called and begged Mr Trump to intervene, stating that the people were Trump supporters, CNN reports.
“Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,” Mr Trump responded, triggering an expletive-laden shouting match between the two.
RELATED: Follow our live coverage of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial
Mr McCarthy reportedly told Mr Trump that rioters were breaking in through his office window before shouting, “Who the f – k do you think you are talking to?”
Republican members of Congress said the exchange proved Mr Trump was in dereliction of his presidential duty in his refusal to call off the rioters.
“He is not a blameless observer, he was rooting for them,” a Republican member of Congress said. “On January 13, Kevin McCarthy said on the floor of the House that the President bears responsibility and he does.”
Ohio Republican congressman Anthony Gonzalez – who was one of ten GOP members who voted to impeach Mr Trump in the House last month – echoed these sentiments.
“He was not sorry to see his unyieldingly loyal vice president or the Congress under attack by the mob he inspired,” said Gonzalez. “In fact, it seems he was happy about it or at the least enjoyed the scenes that were horrifying to most Americans across the country.”
Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler told CNN that Trump’s actions during the riot were “impeachable”.
“You have to look at what he did during the insurrection to confirm where his mind was at,” Beutler told CNN. “That line right there demonstrates to me that either he didn’t care, which is impeachable, because you cannot allow an attack on your soil, or he wanted it to happen and was OK with it, which makes me so angry.”
Many believe the details of the call are important to the current impeachment proceedings as it suggests he refused to quell the riots.
On Saturday (Australian time) the former president’s legal team presented its defence against the “incitement of insurrection” charge he faces.
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