WATCH: George Stephanopoulos Puts a GOP Congressman On the Run for Refusing to Disavow Trump in Wild Exchange

The Republicans who have appeared on the Sunday shows this week have all had to answer for former President Donald Trump calling for the termination of the Constitution. But despite surely knowing the questions were coming, one GOP congressman seemed totally flummoxed in the face of a stern interrogation.

Speaking with George Stephanopoulos Sunday on ABC’s This Week, Rep. Dave Joyce (R-IN) twisted himself in knots to avoid disavowing Trump.

“I have to ask you a question about Donald Trump’s statement yesterday talking about suspending the Constitution,” Stephanopoulos said. “Your reaction?”

“When President Trump was in office, I didn’t make a habit of speaking out of his tweet du jour,” Joyce said. “I don’t know where that came out, whatever his new social platform is. But you know, people are not interested in looking backwards.”

That response was hardly enough to satisfy the ABC anchor — who tried to pin Joyce down on whether he plans to back Trump in 2024.

“Donald Trump was your nominee in 2016,” Stephanopoulos said. “You voted for him in 2016 and 2020. Now he’s talking about suspending the Constitution. Can you support a candidate in 2024 who’s for suspending the Constitution?”

“Well, again, it’s early,” Joyce said, tip-toeing. “I think there’s going to be a lot of people in the primary. I think at the end of the day, whoever the Republican then the pick (sic) I’ll fall in behind.”

“Even if it’s Donald Trump, as he’s called for suspending the Constitution?” Stephanopoulos asked, incredulously.

“Well, again, I think it’s going to be a big field,” Joyce replied. “I don’t think Donald Trump’s going to clear out the field like he did in ’16.”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” Stephanopoulos said, pressing. “I’m asking if he’s the nominee, will you support him?”

“I will support whoever the Republican nominee is,” Joyce said, adding, “I just don’t think that at this point he’ll be able to get there, because I think there’s a lot of other good quality candidates out there.”

Stephanopoulos was blown away by Joyce saying he would support Trump if he were the nominee.

“That’s an extraordinary statement,” he said. “You can’t come out against somebody who’s for suspending the Constitution?”

“Well, first off, he has no ability to suspend the Constitution,” Joyce said.

“He says he’s for it! Stephanopoulos said.

“Well, he says a lot of things,” Joyce responded. “But that doesn’t mean that it’s ever going to happen. So you’ve got to accept that fact from fantasy. And fantasy is that we’re going to suspend the Constitution and go backwards. We’re moving forward, and we’re going to continue to move forward as a Republican majority and as a Republican conference.”

“I don’t see how you can move forward if your candidate is for suspending the Constitution,” Stephanopoulos said.

Watch above, via ABC.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet Newsletter
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!