The Biden administration isn’t letting up on defending President Joe Biden’s comments last week comparing America First Republicans to “semi-fascism.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene on Wednesday as examples of the “extreme MAGA philosophy” the president was trying to condemn.
“Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly expressed support for shooting prominent Democratic elected officials and suggested physically assaulting transgender school officials,” Jean-Pierre said in a press conference.
“And just last week, you had Gov. Ron DeSantis suggest that [White House chief medical adviser] Dr. [Anthony] Fauci should be physically assaulted,” she added.
The press secretary continued, pointing out a past video posted by Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., “depicting him attacking the president and members of Congress” that got him removed from House committees last November.
Jean-Pierre also called out Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., and former President Donald Trump for allegedly promoting the idea of revolution “if our election systems continue to be rigged and continue to be stolen.”
She clarified that Biden’s comments were directed at “the MAGA Republicans” in leadership and not the average voter, emphasizing that “they’re the ones who folks listen to in their own party.”
The White House’s decision to endorse Biden’s Aug. 25 comments in New Hampshire came after the state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu, told CNN over the weekend that the president’s comments were “horribly insulting.”
“The fact that the president would go out and just insult half of America [and] effectively call half of America semi-fascist,” Sununu said. “He’s trying to stir up controversy. He’s trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election. It’s horribly inappropriate.”