Donald Trump has declined to demand the resignation of Representative Max Miller, who has been accused of abusing his ex-wife, the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno. Responding to the allegations, the US president said of Miller: «Always thought he was a very good person.»
Miller, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, has made clear that he will not step down. The accusation against him relates to his former wife, who is the daughter of Moreno, a Republican member of the Senate. Miller's statement was a firm refusal to leave his seat, even as the allegations drew attention in political circles.
Trump's response was notable for what it did not contain. He made no criticism of Miller and did not suggest that the congressman should leave office. Instead, he gave a personal assessment of Miller's character. The comments point to a White House that is not applying pressure on Miller to resign.
The episode is especially delicate for the party because it links two Republican officeholders. The woman at the centre of the allegation is not only Miller's ex-wife but also the daughter of a sitting senator. That gives the case a family dimension reaching into the Senate and creates an awkward situation among Republicans who serve alongside one another.
The exact circumstances of the alleged abuse have not been set out in the public statements that accompanied the story. What has been established is that the accusation was made in connection with Miller's former marriage and that Miller has rejected any suggestion that he should surrender his seat. Trump, in turn, has responded without criticising the congressman or questioning his fitness to continue serving.
Under the US system, the president has no formal power to remove a member of Congress. A seat can be given up by resignation, lost at an election, or affected by action taken within the House itself. By declining to call for Miller's resignation, Trump has made clear that the White House will not be the driving force behind any push to force him out.
A resignation in such circumstances would normally follow a combination of public pressure and political calculation. In this case, the two people best placed to influence that calculation have instead made their positions clear: Trump will not push for Miller to go, and Miller says he intends to stay.
Miller, for his part, has already settled the immediate question. He says he will remain in Congress, and Trump's remarks give him space to do so without a public confrontation with the president.
