On CNN, Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA) claimed that President-elect Donald Trump proposed deploying the military against him and those he considers adversaries.
Trump referred to “radical left lunatics” and implied that the National Guard or military could be used to handle them.
Schiff expressed concern about Trump’s intentions but emphasized that he would not be intimidated and would fulfill his Senate responsibilities, working across the aisle when possible while defending against any unconstitutional actions.
Jake Tapper said, “President-elect Trump repeatedly called you the enemy from within. You and Speaker Pelosi specifically. And he said this about his enemies from within. Take a listen.”
Trump said, “I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics, and I think they’re the and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard or if really necessary, by the military because they can’t let that happen.”
Tapper said, “Do you think that he was talking about using the military against you, and how concerned are you about retribution?”
Schiff said, “Clearly, that’s what he was talking about. Would he go to that link with the military and essentially fulfill some kind of an unconstitutional order? I would hope the military would have more independence than that. Historically, the military has stood up to civilian authority where civilian authority has suggested, as in his first administration, unconstitutional acts. Um, look, I’m not going to be intimidated by anything he says by anything he does. If I was, I wouldn’t be on your show. I’m going to do my responsibility in the Senate. Californians are expecting me, first and foremost, to try to work and get things done, work across the aisle where the president wants to fight prices. I will work with him. Where the president wants to engage in unconstitutional abuses of power, just as he did in the first administration, I will defend our state. I will defend the rights and freedom of the American people. So, yeah, that’s what he said. That’s what he may try to do. But I’m not going to be intimidated.”
