Republicans have quietly signalled they may drop plans to impeach Joe Biden, admitting it may not be “the best path” to challenge the US president.

The months-long effort to investigate Mr. Biden and his family’s lucrative foreign business dealings have so far failed to produce substantive evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

With the GOP’s slim majority in the House of Representatives further narrowed by early retirements this week, the party likely does not have enough appetite within its ranks to pursue articles of impeachment against the president.

“I would vote to impeach Joe Biden right now,” Mr. Comer told NewsMax, but went on to explain the obstacles such a vote would face in Congress.

Mr. Comer signalled the “best path to accountability” was now criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, a largely symbolic move.

The oversight committee has claimed the Biden family, including the president’s son Hunter, traded on the family name in an alleged influence-peddling scheme by attempting to link a handful of phone calls or dinner meetings between the elder Mr. Biden, his son and his business associates.

However, Mr. Comer’s investigation was mired in controversy after it emerged it had relied largely on unverified claims from an FBI informant, who was later arrested on charges that he fabricated the allegations and said he was in touch with Russian intelligence.

‘Complicit or incompetent’

While it appears to have all but fizzled out, Mr. Comer has continued to defend the impeachment inquiry and claimed to have given Republicans in Congress “more tools to be able to gather more information to be able to win in court.”

It is unclear who would exactly be charged, and over what offences.

Mr. Comer made a last-ditch push this week to seek testimony from Mr. Biden, 81, saying he was either “complicit or incompetent” in his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

It is highly unlikely the president would appear before Congress to discuss the issue.

Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, told Republicans to “move on” and focus on “real issues” Americans want addressed.

“This is a sad stunt at the end of a dead impeachment,” he said. “Call it a day, pal.”