Trump claimed to possess damaging information about Clinton, Obama, Biden, and three other Democrats, suggesting he could act against them if Democrats launch a third impeachment effort.
US President Donald Trump indicated that he could pursue criminal investigations or release damaging information about former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden if Democrats attempt to impeach him for a third time, during an interview with Rob Finnerty on Newsmax's Finnerty on Thursday.
Trump claimed he had previously declined opportunities to pursue criminal investigations against his political opponents but suggested he could reconsider if Democrats regain control of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections and launch another impeachment attempt.
"I could have done numbers on Hillary Clinton," Trump said. "I could have done numbers on Bill Clinton. I do like Bill Clinton. I could have done numbers on Barack Hussein Obama. Still could, I still could, I could do big numbers if I wanted to."
"I'm talking about go after them criminally, or I could have done something having to do with their reputations [and] destroyed their reputations," he said.
Trump claims to possess damaging information on Democratic rivals
Trump also claimed that his administration possessed potentially damaging information about Clinton, Obama, and Biden, although he did not provide evidence or specify what the information involved.
"I could have done something having to do with their reputations, destroyed their reputations," he said. "We have a lot of information about Hillary. We have a lot of information about Barack Hussein Obama. We have a lot of information on Sleepy Joe Biden."
When Finnerty asked whether he intended to act on that information, Trump appeared to leave open the possibility of doing so.
"Well, I mean, I guess not. Probably not. But I think if they impeach me again, you know, again," Trump replied.
"Things could get ugly," Finnerty interjected.
The president made similar remarks during an Oval Office event on October 7, saying he had refrained from pursuing political opponents out of respect for the presidency.
Democrats weigh impeachment as midterm elections approach
The remarks come as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress in the midterm elections, potentially setting the stage for renewed investigations and oversight of the Trump administration.
Democratic leaders have not committed to pursuing impeachment if their party regains control of the House of Representatives.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said last month that Democrats had neither ruled out nor committed to another impeachment effort, while House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar has said impeachment is not among the party's top priorities.
Trump, who was impeached twice during his first administration and acquitted by the Senate both times, questioned what grounds Democrats could use to launch a third impeachment effort.
"The only thing they can impeach me for is making our country really strong," Trump said.
He also suggested that another impeachment effort could ultimately benefit Republicans politically, arguing that his previous impeachment proceedings had not damaged his standing with supporters.
"And I [have] become good at anti-impeachment. I call it the anti-impeachment movement," he said.