Donald Trump’s threat to use “very heavy force” on anyone who dares to protest his administration during the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary celebrations in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, which coincides with the president’s 79th birthday, drew fierce blowback on social media.
“If there’s any protester wants to come out, they will be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
“For those people, that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” he reiterated.
Trump claimed he hadn’t “even heard about a protest” being planned on the day. But he deployed his usual rhetoric against his critics, claiming they are just “people who hate our country.”
And he added again, “They will be met with very heavy force.”
Critics reminded Trump of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci, who is now a vocal critic of his onetime boss, slammed Trump for “threatening state sponsored violence on citizens exercising their first amendment right” and called Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to “grow a backbone” and speak out to “reject fascism.”