U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listens with other administration officials as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said that Republicans need to get tougher and fight the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, rebuking Republican Senator Mitt Romney for publicly voicing criticism of him.

Democrats were sticking together, Trump said. “They don’t have Mitt Romney,” Trump told reporters at the beginning of a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives began the impeachment proceedings last month after Trump sought help from Ukraine against a Democratic political rival, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, and his son Hunter Biden.

Trump says he did nothing wrong and the impeachment inquiry is politically motivated.

Asked if it was a forgone conclusion that House Democrats will vote to impeach him, Trump said yes, otherwise he would win the election in November 2020.