Carly Fiorina Says Trump Must Be Impeached, But She Still Might Vote For Him In 2020

Carly Fiorina , who ran an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, called President Donald Trump ’s behavior “destructive to our republic” and said it’s “vital” he be impeached. But she’s not ruling out voting for him in 2020.

During an interview on CNN anchor Poppy Harlow’s podcast “Boss Files,” the former Hewlett-Packard CEO suggested she believes the House will vote to impeach Trump but the Senate will acquit him during a trial. She said she wasn’t sure whether Trump should be removed from office.

“I think it is vital that he be impeached whether removed this close to an election, I don’t know,” she said. “But I think the conduct is impeachable.”

Fiorina said she’s voted for both Republicans and Democrats in previous elections but cast her ballot for Trump in 2016 because she felt “Hillary Clinton was also corrupt.”

Asked if Trump would get her vote again in 2020, Fiorina didn’t say no.

“Honestly, it depends who the Democrats put up, and I won’t go any further than that,” she said. “For me, character matters. Character is destiny for a party, for a nation, for a president. Conduct matters.”

For example, Fiorina said, “publicly berating a decorated war veteran who shows up in response to a lawfully issued subpoena of Congress, I think that conduct is not just unbecoming; I think it’s destructive to our republic.” 

She was apparently referencing Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified before the House Intelligence Committee last month as part of the impeachment inquiry into Trump. Several of Trump’s loudest defenders in the media, including Fox News ’ Laura Ingraham, suggested Vindman harbored dual loyalty since he was born in present-day Ukraine. 

Fiorina, who nabbed the Republican nomination for the 2010 U.S. Senate race in California but ultimately lost to Democrat Barbara Boxer, said she isn’t sure whether she will run for office again.

If she does, it’s possible it won’t be as a Republican — Fiorina said the party only stands for “loyalty to Trump” these days. Asked what message she would send to Republicans in Congress, she told CNN: “In this country, hanging on to a job is not the most important thing.”

“In this country, we don’t pledge allegiance to a party or to a president,” she continued. “In this country, principles matter and in particular, the principle that we have co-equal branches of government and that no one is above the law and that it is Congress’ duty to oversee and investigate.” 

Watch part of Harlow’s interview with Fiorina below: