Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) hammered into her condemnation of President Trump’s incendiary rhetoric a day after the President blasted her for the COVID-19 restrictions she implemented, which prompted chants of “lock her up” from his supporters.
During his Michigan rally on Saturday night, Trump laughed and grinned as he snarked: “Lock her up? Lock them all up!,” echoing his supporters’ chants of “lock her up.” The President has recently complained that Whitmer should be more appreciative of the FBI thwarting an alleged right-wing conspiracy to kidnap and possibly kill her — a gripe he made as he attacked the Michigan governor in a flurry of tweets earlier this month.
Shortly after Trump delivered his remarks, Whitmer condemned the President for his incendiary remarks to his supporters in a tweet on Saturday night.
This is exactly the rhetoric that has put me, my family, and other government officials’ lives in danger while we try to save the lives of our fellow Americans. It needs to stop. https://t.co/EWkNQx3Ppx
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) October 17, 2020
The following morning, Whitmer doubled down on her condemnation of Trump’s remarks and appeared to echo her previous argument that the President’s refusal to condemn hate groups only incentivizes them, during an interview on MSNBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“It’s incredibly disturbing that the President of the United States, 10 days after a plot to kidnap, put me on trial, and execute me,” Whitmer said. “10 days after that was uncovered, the President is at it again and inspiring and incentivizing and inciting this kind of domestic terrorism. It is wrong. It has got to end.”
Whitmer then reiterated what she tweeted the night before, saying that Trump’s rhetoric is “dangerous” not only for her and her family, but also “for public servants everywhere who are doing their jobs and trying to protect their fellow Americans.”
Whitmer called on the public to come together to join her in condemning Trump’s remarks.
“People of good will on both sides of the aisle need to step up and call this out and bring the heat down,” Whitmer said. “This is the United States of America. We do not tolerate actions like he is giving comfort to and that’s why we all have to be in this together.”
Watch Whitmer’s remarks below:
NEW: Trump’s supporters chant “lock her up” at Michigan rally.@GovWhitmer: “Ten days after a plot to kidnap, put me on trial and execute me. Ten days after that was uncovered, the president is at it again. And inspiring and incentivizing and inciting … domestic terrorism.” pic.twitter.com/3FlnyN2Qp6
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 18, 2020
