Florida Republican Matt Gaetz stirred strong reactions from the left after his remark at the Iowa State Fair while standing beside former President Trump.
Gaetz said, “Only through force do we make any change in a corrupt town like Washington, D.C.”
Addressing the former president, Gaetz remarked, “Mr. President, I cannot stand these people that are destroying our country. They are opening our borders. They are weaponizing our federal law enforcement against patriotic Americans who love this nation, as we should. We are having a great time at the fair. We love standing with you. But we know that only through force do we make any change in a corrupt town like Washington, DC.”
Gaetz continued, “And so, to all my friends here in Iowa, when you see them come for this man there, know that they are coming for our movement, and they are coming for all of us. And as hard as you see him work, I need you working ten times harder, a hundred times harder. We’re going to win Iowa, we’re going to march to the nomination and we’re going to save the greatest country.”
During Gaetz’s speech, Trump stood quietly and nodded in agreement.
On our way to the IOWA STATE FAIR! pic.twitter.com/eNgdfslKwd
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 12, 2023
While liberal media outlets have taken Gaetz’s remarks out of context, they don’t seem to be promoting a government overthrow. If someone were planning a coup, they wouldn’t make such statements in a public setting. Additionally, encouraging hard work and electoral victories doesn’t typically align with inciting a mob to overthrow the government.
Gaetz’s sentiment, despite its perhaps clumsy phrasing, likely alludes to the challenges that lie ahead if former President Trump wins in 2024.
As witnessed in his previous term, we cannot expect a progressive-dominated federal bureaucracy to passively accept a president intent on curtailing their authority and prerogatives.
To succeed, a Republican president will likely need to employ exceptional administrative and legal measures to overhaul institutions like the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, and various federal agencies.
A seven-second clip containing only the “by force” quote is already in circulation. Just because you’re energizing a partisan audience doesn’t mean they’re the sole viewers. Such avoidable missteps can’t be overlooked, especially in what promises to be a grueling campaign battle.
