Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan expressed disappointment on Sunday that his fellow Republicans have decided the future of the party lies with ex-President Donald Trump and will “swear fealty to the Dear Leader” out of fear of retaliation. With House Republicans moving to push Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) out of leadership because she won’t acquiesce to Trump’s “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was “stolen,” Hogan said on Meet the Press that Trump is responsible for Republicans losing control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.

“Why do you think they don’t want to pin it on him?” Meet the Press host Chuck Todd asked, prompting Hogan to respond: “I think they’re concerned about retaliation from the president. They’re concerned about being attacked within the party. It just bothers me that you have to swear fealty to the ‘Dear Leader’ or get kicked out of the party. It doesn’t make any sense.” Hogan, a longtime critic of Trump, also likened Republicans ousting Cheney to a “circular firing squad,” grumbling that the GOP is attacking its own members instead of focusing on solving problems.