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Zorro

(17,937 posts) Mon Sep 22, 2025, 06:10 PM Monday

Leavitt Twists Herself to Explain Why Trump's OK to 'Hate'

The press secretary struggled to defend the president’s declaration of loathing for his opponents.

Karoline Leavitt wriggled through a contorted defense of President Donald Trump’s brazen declaration that he hates his opponents.

While Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika used Sunday’s memorial service to forgive her husband’s killer and celebrate the late right-wing activist’s efforts to foster dialogue across the political spectrum, the president struck a markedly different tone.

“He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry,” Trump said during his meandering speech at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium.

Minutes before the president declared his hate for his opponents, Erika Kirk had said in her speech, “The answer to hate is not hate.” The two later shared a tender moment on stage.

“How does that square with bringing down the temperature of political violence in this country?” a reporter asked Leavitt of Trump’s comment during her press briefing Monday.

“Look, the president is authentically himself. I think that’s why millions of Americans across the country love him and support him, including Erika Kirk,” the 28-year-old White House press secretary replied, without addressing the question at hand.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/karoline-leavitt-twists-herself-to-explain-why-donald-trumps-ok-to-hate/

Hate is not hate when DJT says he hates...

4 replies

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Highlight:

Leavitt Twists Herself to Explain Why Trump's OK to 'Hate' (Original Post) Zorro Monday OP

Millions of people love and support Kimmel newdeal2 Monday #1

If you are "authentic" and hateful, it is fine? Irish_Dem Monday #2

I agree; he's an authentic hater. sinkingfeeling Monday #3

After the president said he "hates" his political opposition, the vice president said he was "joking." Recent history pr LetMyPeopleVote Thursday #4

newdeal2

(4,221 posts)

1. Millions of people love and support Kimmel

Reply to Zorro (Original post)

Mon Sep 22, 2025, 06:12 PM

Monday

I love his authentic hate for Trump.

Irish_Dem

(75,395 posts)

2. If you are "authentic" and hateful, it is fine?

Reply to Zorro (Original post)

Mon Sep 22, 2025, 06:13 PM

Monday

sinkingfeeling

(56,439 posts)

3. I agree; he's an authentic hater.

Reply to Zorro (Original post)

Mon Sep 22, 2025, 06:25 PM

Monday

LetMyPeopleVote

(170,297 posts)

4. After the president said he "hates" his political opposition, the vice president said he was "joking." Recent history pr

Reply to Zorro (Original post)

Thu Sep 25, 2025, 06:56 PM

Thursday

After the president said he “hates” his political opposition, the vice president said he was “joking.” Recent history proves otherwise.

After Trump said he "hates" his political opponents, JD Vance said the president was â€œjoking.â€

I know why the VP pitched this absurdity, but that doesnâ€™t make his defense any less ridiculous. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-09-25T13:01:01.695Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/vance-claims-trump-was-kidding-hating-political-enemies-wasnt-rcna233636

“That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” Trump said. “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry. I am sorry, Erika.”

Three days later, JD Vance pitched the idea that the president didn’t fully mean what the world heard him say. HuffPost reported:

Vice President JD Vance, a friend of slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, has claimed that President Donald Trump was ‘joking’ when he ranted about hating his opponents during Kirk’s memorial.

“Well, I think the president was joking,” the vice president told Nexstar’s Reshad Hudson, adding, “I think it’s interesting, if you go back and watch the full speech, what the president was trying to do, in this very humorous and very unique way, was highlight how hard it is for us to forgive our enemies.”.....

All of this dovetailed with Trump telling Americans that his political opponents are “fascists,” who are also guilty of “treason.” His domestic foes, the president has added, are also “enemies of the people,” “the enemy within” and “threats to democracy.”

It was against this backdrop that, at the memorial service, Trump appeared to speak candidly, declaring that he “hates” his political opposition and doesn’t want what’s best for them.

I understand why Vance peddled an obviously absurd line about the president “joking.” In the American tradition, elected leaders have never voiced public “hatred” for those who dare to disagree with them. His repeated references to his contempt for other Americans are reminders that Trump apparently sees himself as the head of “Red America,” not the president of the whole country.

And despite the vice president’s woeful attempt at spin, there’s nothing funny about this.

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