Stephanopoulos melts down as Johnson refuses to condemn Trump outrage over Dem rhetoric

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back on ABC host George Stephanopoulos on Sunday while being grilled over Eric Trump blaming Democrats for the multiple assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump.

Since July 13, Trump has faced two assassination attempts, resulting in one shooter being killed on site and the other being arrested. On ABC’s “This Week,” Stephanopoulos pressed Johnson to comment on Eric Trump’s remarks that the host claimed placed blame on Democrats for the near-assassinations, asking if it’s “right” to do so after Johnson called for both sides to tone down the “rhetoric.”

“I just saw the clip. I was at an event in Texas last night, so I didn’t watch all the remarks from Pennsylvania … I don’t know the context,” Johnson said. “The clip that I just heard, that you just played there, George. I don’t think they’re saying that the Democratic Party tried an assassination attempt. I think what they’re alluding to is what we’ve all been saying.”

“They have got to turn the rhetoric down. For years now, the leading Democrats in this country, the highest elected officials and the current nominee for president, have gone out and said that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy that the Republic will end if he’s re-elected,” Johnson said. “It’s absolute nonsense, and they have incited dangerous people to do dangerous things. The rhetoric has, I think that is a fact, that’s objective that everybody can agree to. We do need to turn the volume down. We have to have vigorous debates about policy, but not take it to that level. No one involved in this is a threat to the Republic.”

Stephanopoulos continued to ask if Johnson supported Eric Trump’s statements, but the House Speaker repeatedly said he didn’t “know the context” of the clip. Johnson’s defense of Eric Trump’s character then prompted the ABC host to exclaim, “You just saw it, sir!” in reference to the clip shown prior.

“I saw your clip of it, George. I didn’t see the full speech. We need to all look at these things in full context. What they’re referring to, though, is the absolute open attacks that have been engaged by Democrats against President Trump since the day he came down that golden escalator in 2016 … They have attacked him in every single way … People have had enough of this,” Johnson said.

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“We need everybody on all sides to turn the rhetoric down, and let’s have a debate about the records of these candidates, not the rhetoric. Let’s talk about the policies, not the personalities. That’s what the American people demand to deserve. These are serious issues the country is facing,” Johnson added. “We need to be talking about the ideas and the answers and the solutions to get out of them, and not all this other stuff.”

Stephanopoulos carried on with pressing Johnson on Eric Trump’s statements, asking what “more context” the House Speaker needed. Johnson, however, stood firm, trying to shift the focus to voters’ top concerns about the economy and immigration.

“So it’s very clear you’re not going to condemn the basic suggestion the Democrats are behind the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, I want to ask you another question,” Stephanopoulos said.

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Johnson attempted to jump in and defend his stance once more, but Stephanopoulos pushed through, stating he would be moving on from the question.

“Well, you have the opportunity to condemn it if you want, you have that opportunity but we can move on,” Stephanopoulos concluded.

Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, for his first rally since the assassination attempt in which a bullet grazed his ear. The 20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple shots at Trump and his supporters in July, killing former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore. A memorial spot for Comperatore was held at the second rally within the stands over the weekend.

This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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