A recent heated incident in the Oval Office has sparked widespread outrage, with former GOP lawmaker Denver Riggleman calling for President Trump’s removal from office, labeling him “the enemy within.”
After a tense meeting where President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance used Russian disinformation to criticize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Riggleman expressed concern that the White House is compromised.
“The enemy is on the inside,” Riggleman told Raw Story, calling on rational leaders to stand up for the country. He emphasized that the U.S. should not resemble Russia.
Critics are worried that Trump’s actions are being influenced by Russian propaganda, especially after his aides reportedly forced Ukrainians off White House grounds. Riggleman highlighted the growing problem of disinformation, fueled by social media and far-right media, which now shapes U.S. policy.
As an Air Force veteran and former NSA contractor, Riggleman is troubled by the shift in U.S. foreign policy, where Ukraine remains an ally and Russia, a foe. He believes Trump and Vance are deliberately trying to please Russian President Vladimir Putin. “They’re specifically trying to make Putin happy,” Riggleman said. “This is absolutely unconscionable, and, because of his insanity, he should be removed on the 25th Amendment.”
Riggleman, who left the Republican Party, thinks this incident could break some of MAGA’s influence over GOP lawmakers. He criticized Republican leaders as “cowards” who care more about their power than the country’s future.
He warned that the U.S. is now on the wrong side of the conflict. “It means we’ve become the baddies,” he said, adding that he never thought a Republican administration would pander to Russia.
This shameful episode could mobilize veterans and active duty servicemembers against Trump, Riggleman predicted. He also sees the need for a new political movement, as both major parties seem disconnected from the real issues.
“We need to build a third way,” Riggleman said, “I just don’t see how a two-party system survives in today’s world.”
