On Saturday another Trump critic in the House, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, released a hard-hitting video statement in which he told colleagues “silent” about the state of their party the “time for hiding is over”.

Cassidy told NBC’s Meet the Press: “Politicians are not victims. Politicians make a choice. If we choose to look forward, bringing positive solutions to the American people who have needs, we win. If we choose to be bullied, we lose.”

The two-term senator also appeared to reference an extraordinary letter sent this week by Trump to the Georgia secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, demanding he decertify the “illegitimate” presidential election result.

Joe Biden’s win in Georgia is central to Trump’s big lie that the election was stolen. His previous efforts to overturn the result are the subject of a criminal inquiry.

“The broader question, frankly, is do Republicans continue to re-litigate 2020, or do we look forward with a positive agenda?” Cassidy said.