Trump refused to call off the rioters in a phone call to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy

As rioters attacked the Capitol in January, then-President Donald Trump placed a phone call to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. During the call, which was allegedly laced with expletives, Trump claimed that the rioters cared more about the election results than McCarthy did. Those familiar with the call shared that a shouting match soon ensued, with Republican McCarthy urging the President that the rioters were his supporters. He begged Trump to call the rioters off, to no avail. These new details about their phone call are particularly important as the Senate just wrapped up hearing Trump's second impeachment case, CNN reports.

As per lawmakers who were briefed on the call afterward by McCarthy, former President Trump asserted, "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are." This comment, first mentioned by Republican House Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler from Washington state in a town hall earlier this week, set off the shouting match between the two men. Then, a furious McCarthy informed Trump that rioters were breaking into his office through the windows. He shouted, "Who the f*ck do you think you are talking to?"

These details provide insight into the former president's state of mind as rioters were overrunning the Capitol. Moreover, Republican lawmakers added that Trump showed no signs of calling off the rioters, all this despite lawmakers from his party pleading for him to do so. This, several claimed, was a "dereliction of his presidential duty." A Republican member of Congress stated, "He is not a blameless observer, he was rooting for them. On January 13, Kevin McCarthy said on the floor of the House that the President bears responsibility and he does." "You have to look at what he did during the insurrection to confirm where his mind was at," added Representative Herrera Beutler. "That line right there demonstrates to me that either he didn't care, which is impeachable, because you cannot allow an attack on your soil, or he wanted it to happen and was OK with it, which makes me so angry."

The Representative was one of 10 House Republicans who voted last month to impeach Trump. She continued, "We should never stand for that, for any reason, under any party flag. I'm trying really hard not to say the F-word." On Friday night, Herrera Beutler went a step further. She urged other lawmakers to speak up about any other details they might know regarding conversations Trump and Pence had on January 6. She asserted in a statement, "To the patriots who were standing next to the former president as these conversations were happening, or even to the former vice president: if you have something to add here, now would be the time."

Republican House Representative Anthony Gonzalez, who also voted to impeach Trump, similarly said the call was problematic for Trump. "I think it speaks to the former President's mindset," he said. "He was not sorry to see his unyieldingly loyal Vice President or the Congress under attack by the mob he inspired. In fact, it seems he was happy about it or at the least enjoyed the scenes that were horrifying to most Americans across the country." It's unclear to what extent these new details were known by the House Democratic impeachment managers. Despite them presenting overwhelming video evidence of his role in the Capitol riots, Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate on a vote of 57-43, far from the required 2/3rds majority. Along with the 50 Democrats, only seven Republican senators voted for the former president to be impeached. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the verdict reflected poorly on the Republican party, "Just look at what Republicans have been forced to defend. Look at what Republicans have chosen to forgive."