Trump insults former Texas governor, Energy secretary: Not ‘the smartest bulb’

President Trump on Monday ridiculed former Energy Secretary Rick Perry and blamed him for suggesting the 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that eventually led to Trump’s first impeachment.

“I told that secretary, who wasn’t the smartest bulb — Rick Perry. You don’t want him on your debate team, let me put it that way,” Trump said during a luncheon with business leaders hosted by the White House Faith Office.

“But he’s the one that asked me to do it. Rick Perry. And I said, ‘Thanks Rick, that was a wonderful suggestion. I just got [impeached] over your stupid call,'” Trump added.

The president was impeached in December 2019 on two articles that charged him with abusing power in his dealing with Ukraine and with obstructing a congressional investigation into his actions.

The impeachment proceedings were focused on a phone call Trump had with Zelensky shortly after Zelensky’s election. Democrats alleged Trump had threatened to withhold military aid for Ukraine as part of a quid pro quo to get Zelensky to investigate the Biden family.

Perry served as governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. He joined Trump’s first administration as Energy secretary until he resigned in late 2019, around the same time as the impeachment vote.