Rep. Jim Jordan said Sunday that the latest apparent assassination attempt targeting President Donald Trump reflected a dangerous political climate fueled by what he described as left-wing rhetoric.
The Ohio Republican praised Trump’s poise on “Sunday Morning Futures,” saying “very few human beings” could “handle things the way that he has,” notwithstanding “the last 10 years [of] all the attacks by the left and the weaponization of government.”
He advocated for “robust debate” but argued people on the political left were standing in the way.
“We have this amazing thing, the First Amendment, and we want real and robust debate happening… some of this language is just ridiculous that we see, particularly from the left.”
He said deliberation between conservatives and liberals amounted to “common sense versus crazy,” and argued that the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner Saturday night made the case for a secure ballroom on White House grounds.
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Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House to put in a new ballroom, but the project has been slowed by legal challenges over whether the administration bypassed required approvals, with courts weighing the scope of presidential authority as the case moves forward.
Jordan blamed the left, pointing out that the Washington Hilton hotel where the shooting took place was also where former President Ronald Reagan was shot.
“The left takes the crazy position and even took the president to court, for goodness’ sake. Thank goodness the appellate judge has said, ‘No, the president can proceed, and he can continue to build this facility there on the White House grounds.'”
The WHCA Dinner was interrupted Saturday when an armed attacker, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Cole Allen, charged past a security checkpoint armed with guns and knives. He shot one Secret Service agent, who was protected by a ballistic vest, before he was apprehended.
Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
