U.S. Rep. Tom Reed said the political circus that is the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump is currently on “full display” in Washington, D.C.

In a conference call with local media Thursday, Reed, R-Corning, said articles of impeachment charging the president could be taken up in the House of Representatives as early as Dec. 18 or Dec. 19. The congressman has stated several times he is against impeachment, noting previously that he has not seen the “smoking gun evidence” that would require the removal of Trump from office.

“This issue, I think, is doing more to divide the country than anything I’ve seen in my tenure,” Reed said.

The articles charge Trump with abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden while withholding aid as leverage and with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling the House’s investigation.

“You know my opinion,” Reed said. “Impeachment is not warranted, and we will stay true to that. … This is being driven by politics, and the circus is on full display. Impeachment should be used as a last result.”

At a town hall meeting in early November, Reed said of impeachment: “As I have publicly stated, and I’ll state here again, I do not support the impeachment process. I do not support the inquiry. I think when you look at impeachment, I think the lessons of President Clinton and the lessons of President Nixon when impeachment is employed historically, we’re talking about overturning a duly held election in America.”

The congressman said impeaching the president and going to the Senate for a trial will set the country on a dangerous path by establishing another “political tool in the toolbox” for members of Congress. He said Republicans are steadfast in their position on the topic while a couple of Democrats in moderate districts have spoken publicly against the hearings and impeachment.

In other news, Reed applauded the deal on a modified North American trade pact, announced this week by House Democrats and the White House. Both sides said the revamped U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement was a significant improvement over the original North American Free Trade Agreement, with Democrats crowing about winning stronger provisions on enforcing the agreement while Republicans said it will help keep the economy humming along.

The deal, Reed said, will benefit both local farmers and manufacturers by “leveling the playing field” among the countries. “There’s a tremendous amount of positive news associated with the Canada-Mexico deal,” he said.

Reed said the impeachment proceedings will likely hold up a vote on the deal. The House is expected to vote before Congress adjourns for the year and the Senate is likely to vote in January or February.

“There is no question of course that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in announcing the agreement, saying the pact is “infinitely better than what was initially proposed by the administration.”

Trump said the revamped trade pact will “be great” for the United States.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard congratulated the negotiators for reaching a second set of agreements to answer U.S. concerns about labor rights in Mexico, and regional content.

“Mission accomplished!” Ebrard told the gathered officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.