Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana clashed with retired Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner over the general’s criticism of President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters during a Tuesday hearing, with Kennedy asking the former officer if he considered himself “more virtuous” than Trump’s supporters.
Manner appeared on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live” in October, during which he claimed Trump’s supporters were “fascists themselves” while being interviewed. Kennedy brought up Manner’s comments during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled, “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy.”
“On October 14th of this year, you went on CNN. I want to read you what you said, make sure I’m accurate. Here’s what you said: ‘President Trump is not like any sane leader. I’m very proud of General Milley for saying that President Trump is a total fascist,’” Kennedy asked. “To Bob Woodward, ‘If he as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is calling the president a fascist, I’m so proud of him for breaking that barrier. The challenge is because most MAGA Republicans, they don’t understand what fascism is. The reality is that they are, in fact, fascists themselves.’ Did I read that accurately?”
Manner, who testified against using the National Guard to help carry out deportations of illegal immigrants, claimed he was not at the hearing to discuss his “personal perspective.”
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“Did I read that accurately?” Kennedy asked.
“I believe so. Yes,” Manner responded.
Manner, who had also claimed Trump supporters were “absolutely supporting fascism” during an Oct. 14 appearance on “Morning Joe,” was one of hundreds of generals who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the presidential campaign prior to her defeat by Trump. Kennedy then pressed Manner about the comments.
“You think you’re smarter than the American people, don’t you?” Kennedy asked, with Manner responding, “Absolutely not, senator. I am here to discuss the use of the military as part of this mass deportation.”
“You think you’re more virtuous than the American people, don’t you, general?” Kennedy asked, with Manner saying, “Senator, I’m insulted by your comment.”
Harris and her running mate, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, escalated attacks on Trump in the last weeks of the campaign, with Harris devoting an Oct. 30 speech to attacking the former president as a “petty tyrant” days after she called Trump a “fascist” during a CNN town hall.
“Ms. Moran said — I wrote down her words — she said, ‘By their actions, you know what someone’s character is like,’” Kennedy observed.
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