These Republicans use violent rhetoric. They are featured speakers at the RNC.
In the wake of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, his top political aides and allies are blaming Democrats for inciting the horrific attack. The co-manager of Trump's campaign, Chris LaCivita, wrote that "for years, and even today, leftist activists, democrat donors and now even Joe Biden have made disgusting remarks" about Trump and it’s “high time they be held accountable for it.” (LaCivita later deleted the post.) “This isn’t some unfortunate incident,” Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said. “This was an assassination attempt by a madman inspired by the rhetoric of the radical left.” Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) flatly asserted that the Biden campaign's rhetoric "led directly to President Trump's attempted assassination."
Authorities have not determined the motive of the shooter, who was registered as a Republican.
The Republicans' concern about violent and extreme rhetoric is a new phenomenon. This is a party that nominated Trump, who has spent his political career advocating and encouraging violence. Here are just a few examples:
At an event in 2017, Trump encouraged the police to rough up protesters. "Please don't be too nice," Trump said.
In 2018, Trump praised then-Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-MT) for assaulting a reporter. "Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!" Trump said. "You know, that’s nothing to be embarrassed about." Gianforte pled guilty to misdemeanor assault.
During the protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, Trump tweeted, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The phrase was used by notorious segregationist George Wallace and others to justify police brutality.
In a September 2020 presidential debate, Trump refused to denounce the Proud Boys, a militant far-right organization, telling the group to "stand back and stand by."
After he was indicted for fraud in New York in March 2023, Trump warned of "potential death & destruction" that "could be catastrophic for our country" if he was convicted.
In an interview with Time Magazine earlier this year, Trump was asked if he was concerned about "political violence" following November's election. "[I]f we don't win, you know, it depends," Trump responded. "It always depends on the fairness of an election."
This week, the Republican National Convention features numerous speakers who have used violent and extremist rhetoric.
Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake: "Strap on a Glock"
After Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records to cover up payments to Stormy Daniels, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake (R) suggested that she and other supporters would fight the verdict with firearms. In a video, Lake said, “If you want to get to President Trump, you’re gonna have to go through me and you’re gonna have to go through 75 million Americans just like me, and I’m going to tell you … most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA.” Lake continued to say that it was “not a threat,” but “a public service announcement.” She later defended her comments, posting on X, “I meant what I said.”
Lake also encouraged her supporters to arm themselves during an April campaign event. “They’re coming after us with lawfare. They’re going to come after us with everything. That’s why the next six months is going to be intense,” Lake said. “We are going to put on the armor of God. And maybe strap on a Glock on the side of us just in case.”
North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson: "Some folks need killing"
In June, North Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson (R) promoted the murder of "socialists," "wicked people," and other perceived enemies. “Some folks need killing,” Robinson said. “It’s time for somebody to say it. It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s not a matter of being mean or spiteful. It’s a matter of necessity.”
Robinson has also said that he owns semi-automatic rifles in case he needs to use them against the government, the Charlotte Observer reported. “I’ll tell anybody, I got them AR-15s at home and I like to go target shooting and all that. That’s not what they’re there for,” Robinson said in May. “I’m not ashamed to say it, I’m probably not supposed to say it, but I’m gonna say it anyway — I got them AR-15s in case the government gets too big for its britches. Cause I’m gonna fill the backside of them britches with some lead.”
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene: Nancy Pelosi deserves to be executed
In response to the attempted assassination of Trump, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) posted on X that Democrats were "the party of pedophiles, murdering the innocent unborn, violence, and bloody, meaningless, endless wars." Although the shooter was a registered Republican, Greene said that the "Democrat party is flat out evil, and yesterday they tried to murder President Trump."
A 2021 CNN investigation found that Greene “repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 before being elected to Congress.” In one instance, Greene liked a comment calling for the execution of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) with “a bullet to the head.” Greene later claimed that staff members ran her account. But in 2019, Greene “created a White House petition” to impeach Pelosi for “crimes of treason,” for supporting immigration policies that Greene opposed. “[I]t’s a crime punishable by death is what treason is," Greene said. "Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason.”
Senator Tom Cotton: Throw pro-Palestinian protesters off the Golden Gate Bridge
In April, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) encouraged people to respond to pro-Palestinian protesters on the Golden Gate Bridge with violence. “I encourage people who get stuck behind the pro-Hamas mobs blocking traffic: take matters into your own hands to get them out of the way. It’s time to put an end to this nonsense,” Cotton posted on X. On Fox News, Cotton was more explicit, saying that he would support throwing protesters off a bridge. “If something like this happened in Arkansas, on a bridge there, let’s just say I think there would be a lot of very wet criminals that had been tossed overboard not by law enforcement, but by the people whose road they’re blocking,” Cotton said. “If they glued their hands to a car or the pavement, well, probably pretty painful to have their skin ripped off but I think that’s [how] we would handle it in Arkansas.”
Congressman Matt Gaetz: We should "hunt down" Black Lives Matter protesters
In 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) posted, “Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East?” The post was flagged as violating X’s rules because it promoted the "killing of fellow Americans."
Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson: Democrats are seeking a "one-party state"; Republicans should not "give up your AR-15s"
In March 2023, after Trump was indicted in the Stormy Daniels case, Tucker Carlson said that Democrats were involved in a "political purge" and are "pushing the population to react." He described the charges as a test to see if Trump's supporters were "demoralized and passive." After a guest asserted that Democrats were pursuing "a one-party state and authoritarian government,” Carlson advised that it was "not the best time to give up your AR-15s."
Senator Ted Cruz: "Grab a battle axe and… go fight the barbarians"
In a 2022 speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) described the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress as "power hungry, abusive totalitarian nitwits." He said his job as a Senator was to "grab a battle axe and… fight the barbarians." He said that the conservative activists at the conference should think of themselves as "dangerous radicals… like those who died at the Alamo."
I hope there is serious investigation into the possibility that the "assassination attempt" was staged. There are too many questions --from the foreshadowing by Nick Fuentes and others, to the glaring error of not securing the roof, to the fact that the gunman was spotted and ignored, to the perfect stagecraft by donald. Not to mention the email blast he sent out before the rally ("all hell will break loose") and the perfect timing to give him the hero's welcome and the "touched by an angel" crap. He went golfing Sunday. I have a lot of questions.
And then we have the esteemed Lester Holt pressing (badgering?) President Biden on his "language," asking if Biden had done any "soul searching," and pressing him to "lower the temperature." All this in reference to a private phone call with donors during which Biden used the word "bulls-eye."
Context matters. Both-sidesism like this is journalistic malfeasance.