Conservative media figures rallied to President Donald Trump’s defense after he openly called on foreign countries to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden during a White House press gaggle today.

Trump has been facing an impeachment inquiry since September 24 over reports that he pushed Ukraine’s president during a phone call to cooperate in his team’s effort to smear the former vice president. Trump initially reacted to the impeachment inquiry by falsely labeling it a “coup” and echoing a warning of civil war should he be successfully removed from office. 

But during a press gaggle outside the White House Thursday, Trump responded to a reporter’s question about what he specifically wanted from Ukraine by saying, “If they were honest about it, they'd start a major investigation into Bidens. It's a very simple answer. ... And by the way, likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened in China is just about as bad as Ukraine.”

While actual journalists and other people with a firm grasp on reality pointed out that Trump had just committed an impeachable offense in public, some conservative media figures leapt to his defense. These defenses included supporting his call for an investigation, denying there was anything wrong with asking a foreign power to investigate a political opponent, praising his supposed ability to change the subject, and applauding him for “doubling down” on an act that led to the impeachment inquiry in the first place.

Newmax TV’s John Cardillo: “Good. It needs to be done.”

Fox Business host Stuart Varney: “As if there’s something wrong with that. Is there something [wrong]? I’m not sure there is. But it looks like there’s something wrong when you read The New York Times.”

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh: “This is the reason you love Trump. … This president, the point is, will not be intimidated. Whatever it is that upsets them, he doubles down on it and gives them another dose of it while telling the truth.”

Fox host Melissa Francis: “It is so like the president to double down. … To me, [China] is a much more straightforward story because here you have [Biden’s] son picking up [$]1.5 billion in private equity investment with no private equity experience.”

Fox News Politics Editor Chris Stirewalt: “The president is a very effective wood chipper. He can take any situation, he can put the raw material in, and then he can just spray it out, right? He can spray, he can cover the press corps over. ‘Well, why don't you look at this, why don’t you look at that?’”

Wall Street Journal Editor at Large Gerard Baker: “It’s classic Donald Trump. … When everybody -- when the Democrats, and his opponents, and the media are clutching their pearls about, you know, some new outrage and they think, Wow, this is the end now, surely he’s in trouble -- he just doubles down.”

Pro-Trump blogger Jim Hoft: “TRUMP DEFIES MOB.”

Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow John Malcolm: “The president always doubles down. … It is certainly not a discredited conspiracy theory. And whether China and Ukraine will look into [the Bidens], we'll see.”

Pro-Trump conspiracy theorist Alex Jones: “45 Drops The Hammer: Trump Moves to Expose China’s Ownership of Clinton, Biden & Obama.”