Even by his standards, Donald Trump might have made the most outlandish statement of his political campaign to date at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday.
Speaking about Hillary Clinton’s plans to reform gun control in the USA, Trump claimed that Clinton “essentially wants to abolish the second amendment” – the right of Americans people to keep and use guns.
Clinton has made clear her plans to introduce more common sense reforms in relation to gun control should she become president, and has not backed a repeal of the second amendment at any point.
Despite this, Trump implied at his rally that should Clinton be allowed to name new justices to the Supreme Court (as would be her right if she were made president, as there is currently a vacancy on the bench following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia) that the second amendment would be abolished.
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks,” he told supporters in Wilmington, North Carolina.
While this alone would have amounted to merely a misrepresentation of policies proposed by Hillary Clinton on her camp, Trump kicked things up a notch with his next statement.
The Republican nominee appears to hint that in order to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing new judges to the Supreme Court, someone could exercise their second amendment right to bear arms against her.
“Although the second amendment people, maybe there is [something they could do], I don’t know.”
Video—Trump: "If she gets to pick her judges —nothing you can do…Although the 2nd Amendment people maybe there is" https://t.co/eeofxE9qL4
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) August 9, 2016
It’s important to make this as clear as possible. In order to make an appointment to the US Supreme Court, Clinton would have to be the sitting President.
So this could easily be interpreted as Donald Trump encouraging the potential assassination of a US President, should Clinton be elected to that office.
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook made the following statement:
“This is simple – what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.”
"A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way." pic.twitter.com/Uu55CBCqdK
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2016
Trump may well claim that he was joking but it is the second such incident to come from his camp in three weeks.
On July 20, the Secret Service confirmed that they were investigating comments from Al Baldasaro – a New Hampshire state representative who acts as an informal adviser to Donald Trump and has been one of his most prominent proponents – Â after he told radio host Jeff Kuhner that “Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.”
Secret Service officials told CNN that “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of this matter and will conduct the appropriate investigation”.
Although Trump’s staff sought to distance themselves from Baldasaro’s comments, Trump praised him just two days ago at a campaign rally in New Hampshire.
“Al has been so great,” Trump told the crowd, before seeking him out. “Where’s Al? Where’s my vet?”
Trump will say he wants 2nd amendment advocates to convince Senate to block Clinton pick. Keep in mind his advisor called for her to be shot
— Sam Stein (@samstein) August 9, 2016
