White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders on Thursday rejected the idea that President Trump’s tweets about MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” hosts crossed the line.
“I don’t think so,” Sanders said when asked if Trump went too far. “I mean, I think that the president has been attacked mercilessly on personal accounts by members on that program. He’s been very clear that when he gets attacked, he’s gonna hit back. I think the American people elected somebody who’s tough, who’s smart and who’s a fighter. And that’s Donald Trump. And I don’t think that it’s a surprise to anybody that he fights fire with fire.”
In a pair of tweets Thursday morning, Trump responded to criticism from the show’s co-hosts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, by referring to “low I.Q. Crazy Mika” and “Psycho Joe.” He then claimed Brzezinski was “bleeding badly from a face-lift” on New Year’s Eve.
Republicans on Capitol Hill have spoken out against Trump’s tweets, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican Sens. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas.
During Thursday’s White House briefing, Sanders said the outrage over his comments makes it feels “like we’re living in the twilight zone” because the show often attacks the president and White House staff.
“They do this day after day after day, and then the president responds and defends himself and everybody is appalled and blown away,” she said.
Sanders added: “He’s not gonna sit back and be attacked by the liberal media Hollywood elites. And when they hit him, he’s gonna hit back.”
