Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is disavowing former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that certain parts of the Constitution should be terminated.
During The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council, Youngkin was asked, “Do you think his recent statement about terminating portions of the Constitution should disqualify him as a nominee?”
“I guess he recognized what he had done because he was walking it back yesterday,” Youngkin responded. “I completely disagree with his comment.”
He went on, “I’m a Virginian. The father of the Constitution is James Madison. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. These documents are to be protected and defended.”
“I’ve watched the other party really erode many of the constitutional principles that I hold dear, and as Republicans we should not contribute to this. I think our job is to defend and protect the Constitution,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Glenn Youngkin on Trump's call to terminate parts of the Constitution:
— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) December 6, 2022
"I’ve watched the other party really erode many of the constitutional principles that I hold dear, & as Republicans we should not contribute to this. I think our job is to defend & protect the Constitution." pic.twitter.com/wEG8q8DEI7
Over the weekend, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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.”
He added, “Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False [and] Fraudulent Elections!”
On Monday, Trump insisted he did not call for parts of the Constitution to be suspended.
“The Fake News is actually trying to convince the American People that I said I wanted to ‘terminate’ the Constitution. This is simply more DISINFORMATION [and] LIES, just like RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, and all of their other HOAXES [and] SCAMS,” he wrote.
The former president added, “What I said was that when there is ’MASSIVE [and] WIDESPREAD FRAUD [and] DECEPTION,’ as has been irrefutably proven in the 2020 Presidential Election, steps must be immediately taken to RIGHT THE WRONG.”
Check out the posts below:
Today, Trump says the “Fake News” falsely claimed he “wanted to ‘terminate’ the Constitution” over the weekend – then doubles down on his claim from the other day (that the 2020 election should either be “redone” or “go to the rightful winner”) pic.twitter.com/AQCQvhHqjI
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) December 5, 2022
Other conservatives have criticized Trump for his comment as well, as IJR reported.
Trump previously took a swipe at the Virginia governor who is seen as a potential 2024 rival.
“Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me,” he wrote on Truth Social in November, adding, “I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to vote for him – or he couldn’t have come close to winning.”