Donald Trump was accused Tuesday of advocating violence against Hillary Clinton, as he warned voters at a North Carolina rally about what a Clinton presidency would mean for the Second Amendment – though the Trump campaign later rejected the characterization of his remarks.
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During the event, he said falsely that Clinton “essentially wants to abolish the Second Amendment”.
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks”, Trump said.
The Second Amendment protects the right of Americans to bear arms.
As Clinton campaign spokesperson Robby Mook not-so-subtly suggested in a written statement, even if Trump was trying to make a joke, what he said was serious – and “dangerous”.
Republican Senator Susan Collins of ME wrote in The Washington Post that she will not vote for Trump, explaining she’s been – quote – “increasingly dismayed by his constant stream of cruel comments”.
Speaking on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, Pierson said Clinton was a “gun grabber” and initially argued with Tapper over whether Trump was simply referring to voting.
“It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have wonderful spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power”, senior Trump communications advisor Jason Miller said. “I don’t know”, he said.
“The Supreme Court is all-important”, she said.
“In the event that Trump fails to abandon his candidacy – as he seems determined to – the Republican Party, including vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, must instead abandon Trump for toying with political bloodshed”, the paper suggested.
Trump’s remarks immediately set off a firestorm of criticism on social media and threatened to upstage discussion of his economic policy speech the day before and his swing through the key battleground state of North Carolina.
Giuliani, who was also with Trump at his rally in Wilmington, interpreted Trump as telling supporters “You have the power to vote against her.
It must be the responsibility of all Americans – from Donald Trump himself, to his supporters, to those who remain silent or oppose him – to unambiguously condemn these remarks and the violence they insinuate”.
“There is something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary“, the gun rights organization tweeted. “You’re treating Mr. Trump’s words like he is the most articulate person who’s ever graced our ears with his words”.
By the way, and if she gets to pick – if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks.
But on Monday night, Hillary Clinton’s camp accepted the debates and challenged Trump to do the same. She has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, but backs some stricter controls.
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The U.S. Secret Service, charged with protecting both nominees, said on Tuesday evening that it was “aware” of Trump’s comments, but the agency did not comment further.
