Stephanopoulos Melts Down As Johnson Refuses To Condemn Trump Family’s Outrage Over Dems’ Rhetoric

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back on ABC host George Stephanopoulos on Sunday while being grilled over Eric Trump blaming Democrats for the multiple assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump.

Since July 13, Trump has faced two assassination attempts, resulting in one shooter being killed on site and the other being arrested. On ABC’s “This Week,” Stephanopoulos pressed Johnson to comment on Eric Trump’s remarks that the host claimed placed blame on Democrats for the near-assassinations, asking if it’s “right” to do so after Johnson called for both sides to tone down the “rhetoric.”

“I just saw the clip. I was at an event in Texas last night, so I didn’t watch all the remarks from Pennsylvania … I don’t know the context,” Johnson said. “The clip that I just heard, that you just played there, George. I don’t think they’re saying that the Democratic Party tried an assassination attempt. I think what they’re alluding to is what we’ve all been saying.”

“They have got to turn the rhetoric down. For years now, the leading Democrats in this country, the highest elected officials and the current nominee for president, have gone out and said that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy that the Republic will end if he’s re-elected,” Johnson said. “It’s absolute nonsense, and they have incited dangerous people to do dangerous things. The rhetoric has, I think that is a fact, that’s objective that everybody can agree to. We do need to turn the volume down. We have to have vigorous debates about policy, but not take it to that level. No one involved in this is a threat to the Republic.”

Stephanopoulos continued to ask if Johnson supported Eric Trump’s statements, but the House Speaker repeatedly said he didn’t “know the context” of the clip. Johnson’s defense of Eric Trump’s character then prompted the ABC host to exclaim, “You just saw it, sir!” in reference to the clip shown prior.