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Oct 18, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Lara Trump defends president encouraging Whitmer "lock her up" chants

Maria Arias

Trump senior campaign adviser Lara Trump defended President Trump's rhetoric about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), claiming that he was "having fun at a Trump rally" when encouraging "lock her up" chants.

Why it matters: Whitmer, who has faced criticism for her strict lockdown measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic, was the target of a kidnapping plot by anti-government militia groups. The president has continued to demand that Whitmer lift COVID restrictions, calling her a "dictator."

  • The governor's deputy digital director tweeted on Saturday that every time Trump attacks her at a rally, the "violent rhetoric towards her immediately escalates on social media."
  • Whitmer herself has said that Trump's rhetoric puts her and her family's lives in danger, accusing the president of "stoking distrust, fomenting anger and giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division."

What she's saying: "Well, look, he wasn't doing anything, I don't think, to provoke people to threaten this woman at all. He was having fun at a Trump rally. And quite frankly, there are bigger issues than this right now for everyday Americans," Lara Trump said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday.

  • "People want to get the country reopened. They want to get back to work. Not only are we trying to make it through a pandemic, but think about all of the cancers that have gone unaddressed. Think about the kids that aren't in school who use school to get their one meal a day."
  • "There are issues at hand here that are bigger than just keeping everyone locked down. ... The president was at a rally. It's a fun, light atmosphere. Of course, he wasn't encouraging people to threaten this woman. That's ridiculous."

The other side: Whitmer reacted to Trump's comments on NBC's "Meet the Press" later on Sunday, saying: "It's dangerous, not just for me and my family but for public servants everywhere who are doing their jobs and trying to protect their fellow Americans. People of goodwill on both sides of the aisle need to step up and call this out and bring the heat down."

  • She also clarified that Michigan hasn't had a stay-at-home order since late spring, despite Trump's comments demanding an end to "lockdowns."
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