The White House on Monday warned that Republicans should back away from the push to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, saying such an exercise would “be a disaster” for the GOP politically.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, has been warming to the idea, suggesting Sunday that such an inquiry is a “natural step forward” in probes over the Biden family’s foreign business dealings.

White House spokesperson Ian Sams, in a statement, urged Mr. McCarthy and the pro-impeachment members of the House GOP to listen to the “chorus of their fellow Republicans who admit there is no evidence for their false allegations and that pursuing such a partisan stunt will ‘backfire.’”

“Instead of continuing their extreme, far-right political warfare to lie and try to politically damage the president, House Republicans should work with him on the issues that really matter to the American people, like lowering costs and creating jobs, or strengthening health care and education,” Mr. Sams said.

The White House says the GOP has not uncovered any evidence of wrongdoing by Mr. Biden and has been spreading lies.

Mr. McCarthy has so far steered clear of committing to an impeachment vote in the House. His latest comments underscore the pressure he is under from some members of the GOP conference to respond in a more aggressive fashion to the allegations of corruption leveled against Mr. Biden and his son, Hunter, over his foreign business deals.

CNN reported Monday Mr. McCarthy has told Republicans behind closed doors he is prepared to launch an impeachment inquiry into Mr. Biden and could kickstart the process late next month.

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.