CNN: “Senate Minority Whip John Thune, former President Donald Trump’s actions ahead of the deadly Capitol riot are totally indefensible. ‘No – not at all,’ the No. 2 Republican said when asked if he can defend what Trump did. ‘The way he handled the post-election, both in terms of his public statements and things that he tried to do to change the outcome, no.’ But like other Republicans, Thune has no clear answer to this key question: What should they do to Trump after he lied to his supporters about the election being stolen, promoted the January 6 rally in DC and urged demonstrators to go to the Capitol, which they later rampaged in a deadly riot?”

“‘Well, that’s a good question,’ said Thune, who faces reelection in South Dakota next year. ‘One way, obviously, would be in a court of law.’ With the impeachment trial for Trump set to begin February 9, Senate Republicans are criticizing him without doing anything about his actions, hoping to put distance between themselves and the former President without casting any votes that could cause a backlash from Trump and his fervent supporters. Many say something should be done about what Trump did – but just not by them. When asked about Trump’s actions in relation to the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a member of GOP leadership, said: ‘I’m not going to defend them.’ ‘I think he’s been held accountable in the court of public opinion already,’ Cornyn said when asked if the Senate should take any actions, arguing it would set a ‘dangerous precedent’ to convict a former President.”