Attorney General Pam Bondi snapped at a reporter Friday after being asked if she would encourage President Donald Trump to tone down his inflammatory rhetoric amid recent incidents of political violence.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Bondi announced that the Justice Department had foiled an alleged “Antifa” plot inspired by the killing of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk. Officials went on to share that the DOJ had arrested a man accused of sending a letter to conservative media personality Benny Johnson, threatening to assassinate him in a similar manner.
Bondi went on to condemn acts of political violence, and Johnson, speaking shortly thereafter, blamed the recent spike in political violence squarely on the Democratic Party. A reporter went on to challenge Johnson’s assertion, asking Bondi about Trump’s own inflammatory remarks.
“During Charlie Kirk's funeral, the president said 'I disagree with Charlie, I hate my opponent, I don't want the best for him,’” the reporter said.
“Just given what we're talking about here and the seriousness in how people take every word and use it to reinforce their preconceived notions about people – someone crazy could act on words like that – would you encourage the president to not say things like that?”
Bondi immediately fired back at the reporter’s suggestion that Trump’s comments were inflammatory, raising her voice as she declared that “the president said nothing about violence, absolutely nothing!”
“That was in response, I believe, to amazing Erika Kirk talking about her forgiveness, and he was saying how brave and bold she was, and how difficult it is to forgive the person who assassinated…” Bondi said, before the reporter asked a follow up question about whether she was worried that Trump’s comments could stoke political violence.
“No, I'm not worried about that! Because that was not said, that was not said, no act of violence was said. If anyone is sending a threatening communication through the mail like they did to Benny Johnson, we're going to find them and we're going to prosecute them; it doesn't matter what side of the aisle you're on.”
