Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has defended her rhetoric comparing former President Donald Trump to a “wannabe Hitler,” rejecting claims that such language contributed to the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The death of Kirk has ignited a national debate on political violence, particularly after law enforcement reported that bullet casings found at the scene were inscribed with anti-fascist messages. Since the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, Republicans have increasingly accused Democrats and media figures of fueling aggression by likening the former president to the Nazi leader.
During a Friday appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio show, Crockett argued that Trump, not his critics, is responsible for fostering a culture of political violence. While denouncing violence, she criticized Republicans for “presuming that [the assassin] is somebody that came from our side of the aisle.”
“Even if it came from someone on our side of the aisle, let’s assume the worst… let’s talk about what ‘radicalized’ him,” Crockett stated, before turning her focus to Trump.
“We’ve got to talk about what it means when you’re running for president… and you go out there and you talk about beating people up,” she said, referencing Trump’s past remarks. “Me disagreeing with you, me calling you ‘wannabe Hitler,’ all those things are… not necessarily saying, ‘Go out and hurt somebody.’ But when you’re literally telling people at rallies, ‘Yeah, beat them up,’… you are promoting a culture of violence.”
In the same interview, Crockett also asserted that the vast majority of mass shootings are linked to “White supremacy ideology.”
The White House sharply condemned the congresswoman’s remarks. In a statement to Fox News Digital, spokeswoman Abigail Jackson demanded clarification.
“What on earth did Jasmine Crockett mean when she said she wasn’t ‘necessarily’ encouraging her supporters to hurt Republicans? It sure sounds like she’s justifying political violence,” Jackson said. “Her comments are not only deeply troubling, but they only serve to further divide and radicalize her left-wing supporters – and it’s despicable that she would try and point fingers at President Trump for the assassination of his dear friend, Charlie Kirk.”
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