Eric Trump on Fox: President Trump “can have fun” by joking about assault on a reporter

Trump tries to claim his father's praise of GOP congressman for body-slamming a reporter was just “fun,” but that Eric Holder said to “kick [people] in the head” (Holder didn't say that, and he clarified that he was “not advocating violence”)

From the October 19 edition of Fox News' Outnumbered

Video file

MELISSA FRANCIS (CO-HOST): You brought up Montana, I'll get criticized if I don't bring up the fact that the president in Montana also stumping for incumbent House Republican Greg Gianforte. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault after a physical scuffle with a reporter last year. This comment, of course, making some headlines. Watch this.

[BEGIN VIDEO CLIP]

DONALD TRUMP (PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES): And, by the way, never wrestle him, you understand that? Never. Any guy that can do a body-slam, he's my kind -- he's my guy.

[END VIDEO CLIP]

...

FRANCIS: You knew they weren't going to pass it up, what do you say?

ERIC TRUMP (TRUMP ORGANIZATION EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT): Oh, stop. He wasn't the guy who body-slammed anybody. He can have fun. By the way, this is actually exactly why my father won. Because, so many people were so sick and tired of the little caged, the perfectly scripted politician who memorized their little soundbite, and they went out there, and they had no crowds, and they weren't any fun, and they had no charisma, they had no personality. Hey, to go out and say, as a guy who's a little bit -- who is un-PC, and probably won because he's un-PC, “anybody who body-slams somebody, he's my kind of guy,” and joke about it, and the whole crowds laughing, like, stop. That's --

FRANCIS: So, do you feel the same about Eric Holder saying, when they're down, we kick them? Is it the same thing, or is it hypocritical --

TRUMP: No, the difference was, Eric Holder wasn't laughing when he was saying that and kind of joking around, right? The demeanor was very different. He's saying, when they're down, you go up and you kick them in the head. It's -- I think it actually is different, I think it's totally different. I think the way you actually convey a message resonates. “Hey, my kind of guy, I like tough guys. I like -- you know? Don't mess with him, he's a great guy. Now, come up here and say a couple words.”

Related:

Eric Holder: “I'm obviously not advocating violence”

Previously

Today's dumbest controversy is the idea that Eric Holder wants Democrats to literally kick conservatives

Donald Trump praises Republican congressman for body-slamming a reporter

Lou Dobbs calls former Attorney General Eric Holder “the illustrious thug”