Rand Paul Calls CNN, MSNBC Part of ‘Incitement to Violence’: ‘Need To Tone Down Their Rhetoric’
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) accused CNN and MSNBC of being part of an “incitement to violence” and called for the networks to “tone down their rhetoric” in light of attacks on former President Donald Trump.
Trump was shot during a Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July, and just weeks later Secret Service arrested a would-be gunman West Palm Beach, Florida golf resort. Police reportedly found a rifle set up in bushes while the former president was playing golf. Trump has blamed the rhetoric of Democrats like President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the attacks against him, something the White House pushed back on this week.
Paul joined Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Wednesday to discuss the Sunday arrest of the would-be gunman. The senator called for more protection for Trump and he pointed some of the blame for the incident and the July assassination attempt on CNN and MSNBC.
“Without question, with two assassination attempts within about a two month period, he needs more protection. Something bad is going to happen, but we also have to have a discussion in our country where networks like CNN and MSNBC are daily saying he is a danger to democracy and someone has to do something about it. These left-wing networks aren’t saying he has bad policy. Hillary Clinton wasn’t saying he had bad policy, she’s saying he’s a danger,” Paul said.
Hillary Clinton called Trump a “danger to our country and the world” shortly after the second assassination attempt.
“The object in this case is Donald Trump. His demagoguery. His danger to our country and the world,” she told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
Paul argued it is language referring to Trump as a threat to democracy and the world at large that is inciting “every crazy or angry person.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned political violence on Tuesday, but defended referring to Trump as a “threat,” saying the accusation is backed up by Trump’s election denialism and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
“The implication is we won’t be able to stop him through the election, we must stop him otherwise,” Paul said on Wednesday, “and they are inciting every crazy or angry person within our country and, frankly, CNN and MSNBC need to tone down their rhetoric because they are part of the incitement to violence.”
Watch above via Fox Business.
