Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.
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In May, Politifact found no evidence that Clinton ever advocated for repealing or abolishing the Second Amendment.
However, conservative Breitbart website’s Second Amendment columnist AWR Hawkins accuses the media of launching a “full frontal” attack on Trump and gun owners.
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks”, Trump said in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Tuesday.
“I think you are talking about – I’m not sure because I haven’t’ heard this question – but I think you’re talking about the power of people that are in favor of the Second Amendment, and they have tremendous political power”, he said. “But I’ll tell you what”.
The reaction from Democrats was immediate.
Also, this week, a group of 50 Republican national security officials published an open letter in which they said Mr Trump was not suitable to be the nation’s commander-in-chief. “A person seeking to the be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way”.
Trump’s reaction later as the uproar grew: “Give me a break”. Director Rob Reiner slammed the Republican candidate, saying in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “There are so many horrific things that he says that you become numb to it and think you can’t be shocked anymore, and then he says something like this”.
The paper dedicates its editorial to the row, referring to Mr Trump driving the campaign “further into the muck”.
“From a foreign policy perspective, Donald Trump is not qualified to be president and commander-in-chief”, said the letter.
Yet Trump’s foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.
“I really, frankly couldn’t believe he said it”, said Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
But the Trump campaign was quick to dispute that interpretation.
Elizabeth Warren also chimed in on Twitter, writing, Trump “makes death threats because he’s a pathetic coward who can’t handle the fact that he’s losing to a girl”.
But the National Rifle of Association (NRA) came to his defence in a tweet, suggesting Mr Trump was “right”. Of course, for Clinton, Kissinger has never been discredited-instead, he’s been her mentor for years.
Almost one-fifth of registered Republicans want Donald Trump to drop out of the race for the White House, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday, reflecting the turmoil his candidacy has sown within his party. “I hope he clears it up very quickly”, he said.
At another rally later Tuesday in Fayetteville, Trump was careful with his words.
The Second Amendment provides a constitutional right to citizens to own guns.
Most forthright is New York’s Daily News, which declares “Trump must go”. A day earlier, Maine Sen.
House Speaker Paul Ryan refused to comment but continued to stand by his party’s nominee.
The U.S. Secret Service, responsible for both Clinton’s and Trump’s protection, said it was aware of what Trump had said but declined to say whether it planned to investigate. Still, she supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps. And now the Clinton campaign dealing with another e-mail controversy.
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It’s an issue that could affect votes in a crucial swing state where she has held a small advantage in recent polls.
