'It's a simple question': Abby Phillip corners MAGA lawmaker over bogus claims about FBI
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), considered a contender for former President Donald Trump's 2024 V.P. shortlist, refused to back down from a false conspiracy theory about President Joe Biden ordering his assassination during an appearance on CNN's "NewsNight" with Abby Phillip on Thursday.
During the interview, Phillip brought up the false claim that the FBI was out to assassinate Trump because documents related to the search said that agents were authorized to use deadly force if faced with a life-threatening danger.
This is standard language for any FBI search and was also used when the FBI executed a search warrant at President Joe Biden's properties.
Despite this, Donalds joined fellow Republicans like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) to suggest the agents were instructed to shoot Trump.
"Newly-released court documents reveal that Joe Biden's DOJ authorized the use of DEADLY FORCE in its raid of President Trump's home," reads a tweet by Donalds shortly after a small section in documents about the Mar-a-Lago classified documents search two years ago detailed "Use of Deadly Force."
ALSO READ: Donald Trump has unclaimed property and abandoned money in at least 16 states
Phillip confronted Donalds over these false claims during a contentious interview.
"What's really simple question, which fact is true or false," Phillip asked Donalds. "So the FBI was trying to assassinate Trump?"
Donalds tried to turn the focus on the current president.
"What's fact is that Joe Biden violated the Espionage Act. He did it with impunity," he said.
"Congressman," Phillip said, "I just want to know, you are not responding to a very simple question about a conspiracy theory that you--"
Donalds interrupted, "What conspiracy theory?"
Phillip continued: "That the FBI by having a document authorized to use deadly force was trying to harm or assassinate former President Trump. That is false. Will you acknowledge that?"
"Can I be very clear this," he asked Phillip.
"Yes," she answered.
"I'm not sure what [AG] Merrick Garland is doing these days," he said.
"So the answer is no," Phillip quipped. "You won't acknowledge that that's not true."
Watch the video below or at this link.
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