Former President Donald Trump confidently disregarded his critics as he reiterated the term “enemy from within” to identify specific political adversaries.
During an interview with Howard Kurtz on Fox News’s Mediabuzz, Trump reaffirmed his previous statement that both Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) can be considered as the “enemy from within.” This echoes his earlier remarks where he hinted at the possibility of using law enforcement or military measures against them.
In a recent interview, the former president was asked a direct question by Kurtz regarding the use of law enforcement to punish or prosecute political opponents. The question sought a clear statement on whether he would be willing to refrain from such actions.
“Sorry, but that’s what they’re using against me,” responded Trump, hinting at the classified documents case in Florida.
According to Kurtz, he found the wording to be rather ominous, especially when referring to fellow Americans. In response, Trump stated that he believes the phrase to be accurate.
“What they have done is absolutely terrible. It’s unbelievable to think that something like this could happen. Adam Schiff, well, let’s just say he’s not exactly known for his honesty. He’s a corrupt politician, through and through. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up becoming a senator someday,” Trump expressed with disdain.
“Absolutely, he’s our enemy. He deliberately targeted my son, even though my son had no clue about what he was rambling on about. He concocted this whole Russia, Russia, Russia hoax just to imprison my innocent son,” exclaimed Trump.
He went on to accuse Schiff and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of confidently asserting, “Donald Trump Jr. will definitely end up behind bars because of this.”
He went on to describe Schiff as “a threat to democracy.”
“We have a multitude of individuals who are not acting in good faith, but if we examine Shifty Schiff and a few others, they are, in my opinion, adversaries from within. I believe Nancy Pelosi is also an adversary from within. She has been dishonest,” Trump asserted, attributing blame for the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol to Pelosi.
While Trump has reiterated that his comment about the “enemy from within” applied to both Pelosi and Schiff, several of his Republican allies have come to his defense. Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) characterized Trump’s remarks as hyperbolic.
During a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper, House Speaker Mike Johnson clarified that the former president’s remarks were directed towards individuals with a history of violence, rather than specifically targeting his prominent political opponents. Although Trump did confirm the latter, it is important to note that Schiff and Pelosi were among his most vocal critics during his time in office.
Johnson continued to emphasize that Trump’s focus on restoring law and order holds a strong appeal to the American people.