GOP leaders break from Trump as he shows no remorse
TRUMP: "...totally appropriate."
President Donald Trump's support among his fellow Republicans - including the party's top leaders in Congress - appeared to slip on Tuesday, as he defiantly denied any responsibility for his role in stoking last week's deadly invasion of the U.S. Capitol.
TRUMP: "They've analyzed my speech and my words and my final paragraph and my final sentence and everybody to the 'T' thought it was totally appropriate."
Trump faces a second impeachment on a charge of "incitement of insurrection," after urging his supporters in a speech to march on the U.S. Capitol and fight.
TRUMP ON JANUARY 6, 2021: "We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
Trump's claim that "many" unnamed others "analyzed" his Wednesday speech and deemed it appropriate came after widespread condemnation of his role in sparking Wednesday's assault, including from some of his closest Republicans allies in Congress and from within his own administration, some of whom have resigned citing the attack on the Capitol as the reason for their departure.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told associates he believes Trump has committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him.
Two House Republicans - John Katko and Liz Cheney - said on Tuesday they will vote to impeach Trump.
Cheney, who holds a high-ranking position in Republican leadership in the House, said in a scathing statement: "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution."
House Democrats plan to impeach Trump for the second time on Wednesday unless he steps down or is removed by his vice president and Cabinet before then.
Trump on Tuesday travelled to the U.S.-Mexico border wall near Alamo, Texas, where he again showed no remorse for his actions.
TRUMP: "Free speech is under assault like never before. The 25th Amendment is of zero risk to me but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration. As the expression goes, be careful what you wish for."
And in a rare message to service members, the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Tuesday that last week's violent riots were an assault on America's constitutional process and against the law, breaking nearly a week of silence by military leaders since Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol.
