Washington (CNN) Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Tuesday that she supports impeaching President Donald Trump in light of her former presidential campaign rival's recent actions involving Ukraine as Democrats formalize impeachment proceedings against the President, calling him "a reckless, corrupt human tornado."

"I'm in favor of moving toward impeachment," the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee told People Magazine in an interview published on Tuesday. "I did not come to that decision easily or quickly, but this is an emergency as I see it."

Clinton's call came on the heels of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement on Tuesday of a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump, as House Democrats increasingly support proceedings to investigate the potential for impeachment.

"We are in a crisis," Clinton said, later adding that the House must begin impeachment proceedings "not happily or with glee" but to safeguard national security.

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