MAGA Republicans Back Donald Trump’s Violent Agenda

DNC National Press Secretary Sarafina Chitika released the following statement: 

“Donald Trump’s public safety agenda is to incite more violence, sow more fear, and double down on his signature extremism that will only make Americans less safe. Meanwhile, MAGA Republicans are falling in line to support Trump’s unhinged proposals that would put Americans in danger just to appeal to his radical MAGA base – from arming teachers to shooting civilians. Voters have rejected MAGA Republicans’ extreme and dangerous agenda before, and they’ll do it again in 2024.” 

Trump proposed a mandate that would require local law endorsement to  use the practice of stop-and-frisk in order to receive some funding from the Justice Department.

CNN: “The former president has said he would require local law enforcement agencies to use the controversial police practice of stop-and-frisk in order to receive some Justice Department funding.”

Trump has no problem putting guns in our communities’ schools – he  proposed arming teachers with concealed weapons.

Associated Press: “To protect students, [Trump] says he will support school districts that allow trained teachers to carry concealed weapons.”

Trump has called for shooting shoplifters to deter crime. 

Associated Press: “As a deterrent, [Trump] says local police should be empowered to shoot suspected shoplifters in the act. ‘Very simply, if you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store,’ he said in one recent speech.” 

Trump has repeatedly called to cut funding for law enforcement programs and defund our nation’s federal law enforcement. 

Vox: “Trump said, ‘I love the police.’ But his budget slashes funding that helps hire more cops.”

Wall Street Journal: “The [Trump] administration’s 2021 budget, like all its previous budgets, recommended eliminating the Community Relations Services and Community Oriented Policing Services and placing their functions under other parts of the department to ‘improve efficiency.’”

The Hill: “Trump calls for defunding federal law enforcement agencies”

From his own suggestions of violence at the border to supporting Trump’s violent rhetoric, Ron DeSantis has a record of supporting a dangerous MAGA agenda. 

DeSantis on executions at the border without due process: “I think once you do that, and once you show you’re willing to do that, there’s going to be a big change in behavior.”

Florida Politics: “DeSantis on Thursday stopped short of blaming Trump, himself and enablers who fueled election conspiracies or refused to accept the election results. ‘What I’ve said is you can file suits,’ DeSantis explained to reporters. ‘There’s political ways to do it. In no way have I ever supported any type of lawlessness or anything like that so that’s totally antithetical. Again, I’m the first Governor to really take this very seriously with my legislation.’”

Chris Christie said if he were mayor of New York City, he would bring back the controversial law enforcement practice of stop-and-frisk. 

NJ.com: “Christie says bring back stop-and-frisk”

Vivek Ramaswamy refuses to admit Donald Trump caused the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. 

ABC News: “‘Standing by while protesters turned violent, I think was a bad mistake of leadership,’ he said, while reiterating, ‘I don’t think Donald Trump was the cause of Jan. 6.’”

Trump’s MAGA minions in Congress would rather arm teachers than pass commonsense gun legislation. 

Speaker Mike Johnson: “Democrats have claimed gun-free school zones promote school safety, but arming teachers and school administrators would mean well-trained adults would be at the ready to protect themselves and the innocent children in their care. … Tragically, the elementary school in Uvalde banned people from carrying firearms.”

Advocate: “U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise says he thinks teachers should be able to carry guns on school grounds if they are properly trained, echoing a view held by President Donald Trump. ‘As long as they are properly trained, that should be their prerogative,’ Scalise said Friday while visiting the campus of Kenner Discovery Charter School. ‘If they don’t want to, they shouldn’t have to, but if they want to, they ought to have that right.’”

Colorado Politics: “U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert wants to arm teachers following a spate of school shootings in Nashville and Denver. … ‘I want to arm teachers,’ Boebert told commentator Dave Rubin at The Rubin Report podcast on Thursday. ‘I want to have secure schools.’ The recent shootings have catapulted the question of how best to secure schools to the forefront. Boebert belongs to the camp that believes ‘hardening’ schools by beefing up security, including arming teachers, is the answer.” 

Rep. Jim Jordan: “I think with schools, you want to make sure you have law enforcement there, harden the school, as you indicate. And frankly, I think you should have trained teachers, people who are trained being able to have a concealed firearm to protect themselves, protect their students, and protect other faculty members and staff members there at the school.”

MAGA Republicans in Congress have also echoed Trump’s calls to give drug dealers the death penalty. 

Rep. Troy Nehls: “I support President Trump and his recent comments related to making the sale and distribution of fentanyl a capital crime and the use of the death penalty. I believe this strategy will address this serious problem. Maybe it won’t solve the problem, but I believe that, if you start strapping a few of these ruthless bastards to a gurney and start filling them with the same drug they were selling to kill Americans, it would me bring a great deal of satisfaction.”

Aaron Rupar: “.@RepBuddyCarter says he supports Trump’s call to execute drug dealers: ‘The president is right. We’ve got to be tough, & I suspect suggesting the death penalty will get some people’s attention. It should… That is where we need to have the death penalty, if they commit murder.’”

And MAGA extremist Sen. Tom Cotton has supported Trump’s violent calls to shoot people suspected of petty crimes. 

Washington Post: “‘We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction,’ Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote on Twitter, even suggesting that the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and other high-profile units of the military be used to quell any future looting. ‘Whatever it takes to restore order,’ he said. ‘No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters.’ A few hours later, Trump thanked Cotton for those comments, tweeting that they were ‘100% correct.’ In remarks in the Rose Garden on Monday evening, Trump said he would deploy the military to put down protests if states fail to quell the violence, though it was unclear what legal authority he would use.”

Sen. Tom Cotton: “One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers. But local law enforcement in some cities desperately needs backup, while delusional politicians in other cities refuse to do what’s necessary to uphold the rule of law. The pace of looting and disorder may fluctuate from night to night, but it’s past time to support local law enforcement with federal authority. Some governors have mobilized the National Guard, yet others refuse, and in some cases the rioters still outnumber the police and Guard combined. In these circumstances, the Insurrection Act authorizes the president to employ the military ‘or any other means’ in ‘cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws.’”