“Someone Wants Back Into the Club”: Republican Who Supported Impeaching Trump Criticized for Endorsing MAGA Reelection Bid

Michelle HollandDec 2, 2023

Minute Read

Former congressman Peter Meijer was one of just ten Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the January 6 riots, but he has since declared that he will vote for the former president in the 2024 election.

Meijer’s Congressional Tenure

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Meijer was a Republican representative for Michigan’s 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. He was strongly in favor of impeaching Donald Trump for his role in inciting the Capitol insurrection and maintained that he couldn’t support Trump’s bid for reelection after leaving office.

A Senate Comeback Bid

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Meijer hasn’t called it quits on his political career altogether and hopes to be elected to the Senate in 2024. Since announcing his campaign, he has declared his support for whoever becomes the 2024 Republican Party nominee — and that person is highly likely to be Trump.

Legal Advocacy for Trump

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Meijer has also campaigned for Trump’s name to remain on the GOP primary ballots in Michigan, which is just one of several states in which Trump faces legal challenges that may prevent his inclusion on the form. In Colorado, for example, a decision on whether Trump is constitutionally allowed to run for reelection is headed to the Supreme Court.

Fitness for Office

Following January 6, Iraq War veteran Meijer shared his concerns that Trump would not be fit to serve another term as president. Many Senate Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump in recent years though few have been outspoken detractors of the former president.

Meijer’s Surprising 180

Eyebrows have been raised over Meijer’s dramatic switch-up that has seen him go from impeaching Trump to endorsing his reelection bid. He has blamed Democrats for “cynical calculation” and is refusing to hold Republican voters accountable for their blind support of the businessman.

The 2024 Election

The new development is perhaps suggestive of the fact that Republicans are slowly coming to terms with the reality that Trump will most likely secure the GOP nomination. The former president is currently the clear frontrunner with his rivals trailing behind.

The Senate Race

Many have speculated that Meijer’s change of heart was for political reasons as he faces a race of his own in 2024. First, the former congressman will have to face off against competitors Mike Rogers and James Craig to become the GOP nominee.

“Pox on All Houses”

Meijer’s philosophy has been described as “pox on all houses” as he has firmly criticized both the Republicans and the Democrats for their method of dealing with Trump. He has claimed that there is a lack of understanding among the political class of why Donald Trump was such a success.

A One-Term President

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The former congressman has been sharply critical of Biden and actions taken during his administration, albeit he has proclaimed Biden’s failures as “less dramatic” than Trump’s. He has, however, emphasized his desire to ensure Biden is not reelected and goes down in history as a one-term president.

Accusations of Idiocy

Many people took to online forums to shame Meijer for his decision, with several claiming that the former congressman was notorious for his lack of intelligence. “Live in the same city as this idiot. He’s an idiot,” one person stressed, whereas another agreed, “Same, complete moron.”

Meijer’s Hypocrisy

The forum members felt that Meijer was being hypocritical for endorsing Trump after previously encouraging his impeachment and removal from office. “He supports not throwing him off the ballot for being the traitor Trump is. Not even a full spine on this guy,” one poster wrote.

Nepotism Allegations

Others called Meijer a “nepotism baby” and explained that he had his family to thank for his political career. “He’s a nepo baby who bought his way into politics and did one thing correctly,” one person panned. Another concurred, “he’s just unreasonably stupid coasting by on family money. He wouldn’t be a Republican if his family wouldn’t cut him off most likely.”

As Bad as the Rest

One person declared that “never Trump” Republicans — such as Meijer prior to his u-turn — should be considered as bad as Trump supporters: “Republicans that voted to impeach Trump are just, “he’s too loud/crass/mean for our tastes, we want to commit Genocide With A Smile!”

Meijer’s Political Motives

Since Meijer was ousted from his House seat by a pro-Trump Republican, many users theorized that he had changed his tune to be accepted back into the party in time for his Senate bid. “Someone wants back into the club,” one contributor speculated.

“What A Pathetic Worm”

One particularly scathing review of Meijer read: “This sounds like a once independent thinker with a spine makes to submissively get back into Papa Trump’s good graces. What a pathetic worm with clear daddy issues. NOT a leader.” Another described Meijer as a member of the “parasite class.”

Lack of Integrity

Several forum users were disappointed at Meijer’s complete lack of consistent principles. One contributor proclaimed: “Peter Meijer has failed any integrity test. He took one courageous stance in impeaching Trump and has since spent every waking moment proving that his brave decision was a momentary lack of (his usually cowardly) judgment.”