WASHINGTON — Republican congressman and Air Force veteran Adam Kinzinger slammed President Donald Trump for suggesting that his impeachment could lead to a “Civil War.”

“If the Democrats are successful in removing the President from office (which they will never be), it will cause a Civil War like fracture in this Nation from which our Country will never heal,” Trump tweeted on Sunday, quoting Robert Jeffress, an evangelical pastor and loyal Trump supporter who appeared on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

The suggestion of a civil war was met with widespread backlash — even from Trump’s own party, including Kinzinger, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I have visited nations ravaged by civil war,” the Illinois lawmaker tweeted. “I have never imagined such a quote to be repeated by a President. This is beyond repugnant.”

Jeffress, who said in the Fox interview that he has “never seen them more angry” when talking about evangelicals, has elicited controversy in the past for his sentiments toward the LGBT community, Mormons and Muslims, who he claimed practice a religion that “promotes pedophilia.”

He was appointed as one of Trump’s evangelical advisers and gained national attention when he claimed that “God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un,” invoking the Bible’s book of Romans to do so.

Trump’s tweet came amid House Democrats’ investigation of allegations that he tried to coerce Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky into investigating an American political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Trump lashes out at impeachment accusers: ‘Treason,’ ‘spying,’ ‘civil war‘

Trump also accused Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff of misrepresenting his conversation with Zelensky, tweeting “I want Schiff questioned at the highest level for Fraud & Treason.”

Trump’s civil war tweet went viral, and #CivilWar2 and #CivilWarSignup were trending on Twitter.

“Lincoln created the Republican Party and gave his life in order to save the Union,” Rep. Jamie Raskin tweeted in response Monday.” Trump ruined the Republican Party and now threatens to destroy the Union in order to save his job.” 

Contributing: Joshua Bote and David Jackson, USA TODAY