House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) reacted to the release of the Robert Mueller report on Thursday by arguing impeachment of President Trump “is not worthwhile.” His two-sentence comment to CNN ignited a furor on the left, rankling those who predictably interpreted the report as further cause for impeachment efforts.

“Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point,” Hoyer told Dana Bash. “Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgment.”

Hoyer’s apparent signal that Democratic leadership, like most of the rest of the country, is prepared to move on from the special counsel investigation didn’t sit well with a host of anti-Trump commentators. For a sampling of the backlash, see the tweets below. And expect the tension between Democratic leadership and the party’s progressive wing to escalate.

This is unbelievably disappointing. Even if you don't ultimately pursue impeachment proceedings, why on Earth would you say this today? Part of the American people making a judgment in 2020 requires a full account of the President's criminality and abuse of power. https://t.co/DB634jA2Fq — Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) April 18, 2019

This needs to be understood as straight-up abdication on the part of @LeaderHoyer himself. Note that he's even taking an impeachment *inquiry* off the table. Remarkable cowardice and dereliction of basic duty. https://t.co/CpdJJvjm2x — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 18, 2019

this is an abdication of constitutional responsibility https://t.co/kKqG06SGIv — b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) April 18, 2019

The Steny Hoyer quote is just unreal. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 18, 2019

Some things Democrats could say if they weren’t terrified of doing the right thing: — Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) April 18, 2019

Here's @brianbeutler with the correct take on how Dem leaders should react. https://t.co/4Jz1077cGN — Peter Daou (@peterdaou) April 18, 2019

Democrats' logic: trying to impeach a popular president over transparently ginned-up bullshit hurt Republicans in the 1990s; therefore, trying to impeach an unpopular president over a long history of documented crimes would hurt Dems in 2020. That about right? — David Roberts (@drvox) April 18, 2019

So now political leaders get to break whatever laws they want in order to boost their power and it's all good b/c if the voters get mad they can vote against them afterwards. If only there were hundreds of years of historical precedent on what happens right after that. https://t.co/lpJmky9LsL — Hunter (@HunterDK) April 18, 2019

This is a shocking abdication of the Constitutional responsibility of the House. Apparently, Democrats think there is a Garland rule in the Impeachment clause. https://t.co/mmpD5Vy1lj — Ken Gude (@KenGude) April 18, 2019

“What we have seen” is a criminal conspiracy to obstruct justice, but okay. https://t.co/etFgyYFY2a — Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) April 18, 2019

What about the election that happened 6 months ago when people voted for Democrats on the promise they would hold Trump accountable? https://t.co/sll7sG6v3w — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 18, 2019

Imagine being a member of Congress and three months into a term you’ve been elected to serve, you punt your constitutional responsibilities to voters a year and a half from now https://t.co/djcFtbkY98 — Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) April 18, 2019

https://twitter.com/KatzOnEarth/status/1118971829169926144

can we impeach steny hoyer for being a snivelling coward — Graham MacAree (@MacAree) April 18, 2019

Steny Hoyer should be removed from House leadership. https://t.co/S6fF5BAcXH — Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) April 18, 2019

Hoyer should recant, or resign tonight. https://t.co/tyiWGiKQpQ — Tom Watson (@tomwatson) April 18, 2019

And after that election in 18 months the first thing Democrats should do is boot Steny Hoyer out of leadership and replace him with someone who has a spine. https://t.co/9PHQVQBz7c — Adam Best (@adamcbest) April 18, 2019

Impeachment would distract from focus on winning 2020 House races. And deep losses could potentially jeopardize the extent of Pelosi's and Hoyer's power. So they'd like to avoid that. But there is something more important at stake here: The integrity of the Republic. — Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) April 18, 2019

Surely we can find a better Democrat than Steny Hoyer in Maryland, yes? https://t.co/fjdw0U4TUL — Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) April 18, 2019

They'd be able to make a better "judgement" in 18 months if Hoyer and co grew a backbone and held impeachment hearings… https://t.co/4ybuP4cTld — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) April 18, 2019

someone primary steny hoyer — Talia Lavin (@chick_in_kiev) April 18, 2019

RTing the good takes on how Steny Hoyer screwed the pooch today — Oliver Willis (@owillis) April 18, 2019

This is just one of a billion reasons that the sooner Hoyer is gone, the better. https://t.co/btZb8nUZ3C — James Downie (@jamescdownie) April 18, 2019

This right here is the rub. We wanted oversight not two years of planning for the next election. Do your god damn jobs. https://t.co/j8linvroVd — Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) April 18, 2019

Are people calling Steny Hoyer's office? Call Steny Hoyer's office. — Rakesh Satyal (@rakeshsatyal) April 18, 2019

Hoyer is getting ratio’d for spinelessly ruling out impeachment. Good. https://t.co/F864lPnOTt — Chris Taylor (@FutureBoy) April 18, 2019