On CNN’s “Situation Room” Tuesday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, co-chair of the Harris-Walz Campaign, pushed back against former President Donald Trump’s claims that Democratic rhetoric is to blame for the latest assassination attempt against him. Duckworth argued that Trump’s accusations are a diversionary tactic aimed at shifting attention away from his own controversies.
When host Wolf Blitzer asked Duckworth to respond to Trump’s allegations, she fired back, “Democratic rhetoric hasn’t escalated in recent months. The reality is, Trump has always been a threat to democracy – and we’ve been saying that all along.” Duckworth pointed to Trump’s history of inflammatory behavior, including his role in inciting the January 6 riots and his cozy relationships with white supremacists and hate groups.
Duckworth accused Trump of hypocrisy, suggesting that he’s trying to deflect attention from his poor debate performance and his lack of a coherent economic plan. She claimed that Trump is desperate to change the subject and distract from the fact that voters will have a clear choice in November – and that choice won’t be him.
When Blitzer pressed Duckworth on whether labeling Trump a “threat to democracy” was itself a dangerous move, she stood firm. “I believe Donald Trump truly is a threat to democracy,” she said. “What’s truly dangerous is what he did on January 6 – inciting violence and standing by as the Capitol came under attack.”
