In an interview with The Washington Post, Pelosi says impeachment is so "divisive" it shouldn't be used barring something "overwhelming."
ADVERTISEMENTWhile some of her members are already clamoring for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says President Donald Trump is "just not worth it."
In aninterview with the Washington Post published Monday, Pelosi said, "I'm not for impeachment."
Pelosi, who was House minority leader when President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican majority house in 1998, told the paper, "Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there's something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don't we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And he's just not worth it."
But asked if she thought Trump was "fit" to be president, Pelosi said, "No. I don't think he is. I mean ethically unfit. Intellectually unfit. Curiosity-wise unfit. No, I don't think he's fit to be president of the United States," she said, before chiding herself for "coming across too negatively."
In the same interview, she complimented Trump with a laugh, calling him "a great organizer for Democrats, a great fundraiser for Democrats and a great mobilizer at the grass-roots level for Democrats. And I think that's good for America."
Billionaire Tom Steyer, who's been running TV ads calling for Trump to be impeached, blasted Pelosi for her comments.
"Speaker Pelosi thinks 'he's just not worth it?' Well, is defending our legal system 'worth it?' Is holding the President accountable for his crimes and cover-ups 'worth it?' Is doing what's right 'worth it?' Or shall America just stop fighting for our principles and do what's politically convenient?" he said in a statement.
The issue has been on the president's mind. In an an interview with CBS on Super Bowl Sunday, Trump said, "The only way they can win, because they can't win the election, is to bring out the artificial way of impeachment."
"It's supposed to be high crime and misdemeanors. Well, there was no high crime. There was no misdemeanor. There was no problem whatsoever," Trump said then.
Responding to Pelosi's comments on Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, "impeachment should never be on the table because the president is doing a great job."
As for her comments on Trump's fitness to be president, Sanders said, "Most of America disagrees with her comments. That's why they voted him into office."
Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by almost 2.9 million votes.