OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:50 PM – Sunday, July 14, 2024
Following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos claimed that the former president and his allies had contributed to “violent rhetoric” across the country.
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On ABC‘s “This Week,” Stephanopoulos cited remarks made by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio.) and Vivek Ramaswamy, who both criticized the left for their rhetoric about the 45th president in the run-up to the assassination attempt.
“Of course, President Trump and his supporters have contributed to this violent rhetoric as well,” Stephanopoulos said.
“Absolutely, George,” reporter Martha Raddatz agreed.
“We were just looking back this morning at some of the things President Trump has said,” she continued. “He warned last March of potential death and destruction if he were charged by the Manhattan district attorney; ‘our country is being destroyed as they tell us to be peaceful.’ Trump in January warned of bedlam in the country if the criminal charges against him succeeded, and of course, in March he said, ‘Now if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.’”
Raddatz noted Trump has said the “bloodbath” quote was a joke and taken out of context—he was referring to economic woes with his remarks—before adding, “But those are indeed his words.”
Raddatz then said Trump supporters have offered similar rhetoric and quickly evoked the January 6th Capitol event.
“Let’s remember January 6,” she said.
Last week, Stephanopoulos found himself under heat after he stated that he did not think Biden could serve another four years.
ABC News released a statement Tuesday night telling Fox News Digital, “George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.”
Stephanopoulos then released a statement saying, “Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn’t have.”
A 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania named Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump on Saturday. Crooks fired at Trump from a rooftop vantage point about 130 yards away before being shot and killed by law enforcement. The shot hit the upper portion of Trump’s right ear.
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