Donald Trump Says Hillary Clinton’s Bodyguards Should Disarm to ‘See What Happens to Her’

Donald J. Trump drew cheers at a campaign rally Friday in Miami when he said Hillary Clinton did not deserve armed protection. Credit Damon Winter/The New York Times

MIAMI — Donald J. Trump once again raised the specter of violence against Hillary Clinton, calling on Friday for the Secret Service agents who guard her to voluntarily disarm to “see what happens to her” without their protection.

“I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons,” Mr. Trump said at a rally in Miami, to loud applause. “I think they should disarm. Immediately.”

He went on: “Let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away, O.K. It’ll be very dangerous.”

Mr. Trump suggested that the Secret Service should stop protecting Mrs. Clinton because, he falsely claimed, she wants to “destroy your Second Amendment,” apparently a reference to her gun control policies.

Presidential nominees are protected at all times by heavily armed teams of Secret Service agents, some uniformed and some undercover, who are devoted to the candidates’ physical safety.

Mr. Trump’s comments were a provocative echo of widely condemned remarks he made at a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., in early August. There, he suggested that gun rights supporters should rise up against Mrs. Clinton if she was elected to stop her from appointing judges who might favor stricter gun regulation.

“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added, “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”

Those remarks were widely interpreted as an invitation for gun-rights supporters to take matters into their own hands should Ms. Clinton prevail in November’s election.

Mr. Trump never apologized or disavowed the comments, despite angry denunciations from Mrs. Clinton’s running mate, Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, and groups like the Brady Campaign and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

On Friday night, advocates of gun control condemned Mr. Trump anew. Matt Bennett, a vice president at Third Way, a think tank, expressed disbelief at Mr. Trump’s “cavalier disregard for the safety” of Mrs. Clinton.

“No serious gun rights person believes that a Secret Service protectee should have their protection taken away,” Mr. Bennett said.

Elizabeth Shappell, communications director for Correct the Record, a group that supports Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, called Mr. Trump’s remark “a truly deplorable comment that betrays our nation’s most fundamental democratic values.”

It was the culmination of a rocky and unpredictable day for Mr. Trump, who is known to veer from scripted performances to reckless moments of improvisation. It diverted attention, for a moment at least, from his grudging admission of error earlier on Friday, when he finally conceded that President Obama was born in the United States, despite Mr. Trump’s longstanding claims to the contrary.

On Friday night, breaking from his prepared remarks and turning his gaze from the teleprompters, Mr. Trump looked straight into the crowd as he made the insinuation about Mrs. Clinton’s safety. He gestured emphatically with his hands as he spoke, at one time pointing to a member in the crowd to find agreement.

“What do you think?” he asked of his plan to disarm the Secret Service, as the arena erupted into cheers.

In May, Mr. Trump accused Mrs. Clinton in a Twitter post of hypocrisy for accepting armed Secret Service protection while supporting some limits on access to weapons for civilians. That post also levied a false accusation against Mrs. Clinton, suggesting she supported a ban on all guns. She does not.

“Crooked Hillary wants to get rid of all guns and yet she is surrounded by bodyguards who are fully armed,” Mr. Trump said. “No more guns to protect Hillary!”

Violence, real and linguistic, has become a recurring theme in Mr. Trump’s campaign: Punches have been thrown at his rallies, protesters have been roughed up by Trump supporters, and the candidate himself has repeatedly deployed a lexicon of physical aggression.

“I’d like to punch him in the face,’ Mr. Trump said in February when a protester was dragged out of his rally in Las Vegas.

In the past, Mr. Trump has sought to distance himself from his own menacing remarks by later dismissing them as playful or misinterpreted. His Republican supporters, meanwhile, have been pressed after every remark to distance themselves from him. On Friday night, officials of the Republican National Committee, which is working to help his campaign, did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Trump’s comments were a variation on criticisms made by the National Rifle Association, perhaps Mr. Trump’s closest political ally in the presidential race. The group has publicly criticized Secret Service protection for Mr. Obama’s two daughters, which is required under federal law, as hypocritical.

In 2013, the group released an advertisement calling Mr. Obama “an elitist hypocrite” for allowing the service to protect his family — which, like other first families, has faced multiple death threats — but opposing the widespread use of armed guards in schools.

What a dumb statement!

Mr. Trump’s comments were a provocative echo of widely condemned remarks he made at a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., in early August. There, he suggested that gun rights supporters should rise up against Mrs. Clinton if she was elected to stop her from appointing judges who might favor stricter gun regulation.

“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added, “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”

Yellowhead man should end everyone of his statements and questions with the hilted.

Donald Trump is known for his witty comments. Why is this surprising to you guys? These news are appealing to DG's audience only. People are getting all worked up over Trump like they scared of something. Are you guys scared of Trump? Yes? You should be!

Prince posted:

Donald Trump is known for his witty comments. Why is this surprising to you guys? These news are appealing to DG's audience only. People are getting all worked up over Trump like they scared of something. Are you guys scared of Trump? Yes? You should be!

Given the violence associated with a portion of Trump's audience how is this humorous?

Donald Trump is absolutely right in his remarks about disarming Hillary's protection to see what happens. Without guns, your protection means nothing. We need Trump to make Americans understand the truth about guns and personal protection and the right to bear arms. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass. Trump will is a tell it in your face kind of guy without the political BS. Everyday I am more convinced that he will be president to give the naysayers a good dose of voodoo medicine.

Prince posted:

Donald Trump is known for his witty comments. Why is this surprising to you guys? These news are appealing to DG's audience only. People are getting all worked up over Trump like they scared of something. Are you guys scared of Trump? Yes? You should be!

Ok you like witty comments. Last night Bill Maher called his son Douche Bag Eric F Face Van whatever and he called Donald the Orange Rangatang.  Now dat is witty.

Nehru posted:

Prince posted:

Donald Trump is known for his witty comments. Why is this surprising to you guys? These news are appealing to DG's audience only. People are getting all worked up over Trump like they scared of something. Are you guys scared of Trump? Yes? You should be!

Ok you like witty comments. Last night Bill Maher called his son Douche Bag Eric F Face Van whatever and he called Donald the Orange Rangatang.  Now dat is witty.

Bill Maher getting paid to talk about other people. If them old kutneies in Guyana bin know how profitable it is to talk name in America, them would a make up stories you never heard of.  Lol

Cobra posted:

. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass.

If Americans are stupid enough to vote for Trump they should vote for Putin as president, because this is who will rule things.  Just say anything negative about Russia and see how Trump gets a melt down.

Cobra posted:

Donald Trump is absolutely right in his remarks about disarming Hillary's protection to see what happens. Without guns, your protection means nothing. We need Trump to make Americans understand the truth about guns and personal protection and the right to bear arms. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass. Trump will is a tell it in your face kind of guy without the political BS. Everyday I am more convinced that he will be president to give the naysayers a good dose of voodoo medicine.

Absolutely ridiculous and nonsense by Donald Trump.

If Donald Trump does not want the presidential protection provided to selected candidates, then he must immediately renounce his own.

Cobra posted:

Donald Trump is absolutely right in his remarks about disarming Hillary's protection to see what happens. Without guns, your protection means nothing. We need Trump to make Americans understand the truth about guns and personal protection and the right to bear arms. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass. Trump will is a tell it in your face kind of guy without the political BS. Everyday I am more convinced that he will be president to give the naysayers a good dose of voodoo medicine.

Perhaps, he is intimately involved with voodoo activities.

Demerara_Guy posted:

Cobra posted:

Donald Trump is absolutely right in his remarks about disarming Hillary's protection to see what happens. Without guns, your protection means nothing. We need Trump to make Americans understand the truth about guns and personal protection and the right to bear arms. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass. Trump will is a tell it in your face kind of guy without the political BS. Everyday I am more convinced that he will be president to give the naysayers a good dose of voodoo medicine.

Absolutely ridiculous and nonsense by Donald Trump.

If Donald Trump does not want the presidential protection provided to selected candidates, then he must immediately renounce his own.

Be prepared to deal with Trump for the next four years. I am sorry to ruin your dreams for Hillary.  

Prince posted:

Demerara_Guy posted:

Cobra posted:

Donald Trump is absolutely right in his remarks about disarming Hillary's protection to see what happens. Without guns, your protection means nothing. We need Trump to make Americans understand the truth about guns and personal protection and the right to bear arms. Whoever said Trump is not fit to be president is an ignorant jackass. Trump will is a tell it in your face kind of guy without the political BS. Everyday I am more convinced that he will be president to give the naysayers a good dose of voodoo medicine.

Absolutely ridiculous and nonsense by Donald Trump.

If Donald Trump does not want the presidential protection provided to selected candidates, then he must immediately renounce his own.

Be prepared to deal with Trump for the next four years. I am sorry to ruin your dreams for Hillary.  

Donald Trump will always be in the news for years on end, however, never as the president of the US_of_A.