Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger blasted President Donald Trump's weekend tweet warning of a "Civil War like fracture" if Trump were to face impeachment charges by the House of Representatives.
Kinzinger, an Air Force veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said in a tweet the president's words were "beyond repugnant."
Kinzinger currently represents Illinois' 16th District, which Trump won with 55% of the vote in 2016. Kinzinger has served since 2010 and ran unopposed in 2016.
Trump's tweet was a summary of comments made on Fox News by evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress, an ardent supporter of the president's who has made inflammatory remarks in the past about Muslims, Catholics, gays and Mormons.
"The congressman believes impeachment is a serious matter, and should not be taken lightly. His tweet in response to the president speaks for itself," Kinzinger's office said in a statement.
Trump's tweet is an escalation of his rhetoric after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that House Democrats would open an impeachment inquiry into the president over allegations that he pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Joe Biden is vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump in the 2020 election. The allegations first surfaced in a whistleblower complaint that was made public last week.
The revelation spurred a majority of House Democrats to support an impeachment probe, which has also gained support from American voters in a series of recent polls.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Correction: This article has been updated to correct the year Kinzinger ran unopposed. Kinzinger is an Air Force veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. An earlier version misstated his status.