Trump exhorts Republicans to ‘get tougher’ against impeachment inquiry

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - Donald Trump yesterday exhorted fellow Republicans to get tougher and fight for his presidency, saying the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives wants to impeach him “as quick as possible” over his request that Ukraine investigate a political rival.

Trump made his comments during a White House Cabinet meeting as Democrats sought to build public support for their fast-moving impeachment inquiry and the administration pressed its efforts to stonewall the probe.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a video and “fact sheet” that may give hints about the articles of impeachment - formal charges - Democrats may pursue against Republican Trump, accusing him of abuse of power, a “shakedown” involving Ukraine and a cover-up.

Republicans in the House of Repre-sentatives tried to censure one of the inquiry’s leaders, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, but the motion was blocked by Democrats who control the chamber.

Few Republican lawmakers have shown an inclination to remove Trump from office even as Democrats focus on his pushing a vulnerable foreign ally to interfere to his benefit in the November 2020 U.S. election by providing political dirt on Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to run against Trump.

Senator Mitt Romney is one of the few Republicans who have sharply criticized Trump, who has denied wrongdoing.

Other Republicans have expressed misgivings about Trump policies, including criticism from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Lindsey Graham of his withdrawal of U.S. troops https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syriasecurity-trump/trump-says-ceasefire-insyria-is-holding-despite-few-skirmishesidUSKBN1X01UU?il=0 in northeastern Syria, which exposed U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters to a Turkish cross-border offensive.