Lincoln – Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse blasted President Donald Trump last Friday for his statements just before the riot at the U.S. Capitol, saying the president deserved some blame for “pouring gasoline on these fires of division” and disregarding his oath of office.

Sasse, a Republican who has clashed with Trump before, said he was willing to consider voting to remove Trump from office in a second impeachment effort.

In an interview Friday with National Public Radio, Sasse said he places blame first on the violent mob that stormed the Capitol last week “and then on the president of the United States as well, who was pouring gasoline on these fires of division.”

Trump, in a speech before the riot, repeated false claims that the election had been rigged against him and said he and his supporters are going to have to “fight much harder” to protect democracy.

Sasse has been openly critical of Trump at times, drawing criticism from some Nebraska Republicans who wanted him to be loyal to their party’s leader.

He changed his tone briefly in 2019 and highlighted areas of agreement with the president when he was running for reelection against a pro-Trump primary challenger. Trump later endorsed Sasse, saying he had done a “wonderful job” representing Nebraska. But a year later, he called on Republicans to replace Sasse after Sasse criticized him again.

Sasse also blasted GOP Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri for objecting to the Electoral College results.

“The American people have been lied to, chiefly by Donald Trump, and lies have consequences,” Sasse said. “And those consequences are now found in five dead Americans and a Capital building that’s in shambles. Legislators should not be aiding and abetting those kinds of lies.”