Former President Donald Trump has escalated suggestions that he would go after political opponents while also saying the action would not be appropriate.
Following Trump’s conviction, he has been vocal about his distaste for the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies. Still, he has flip-flopped on whether he believes going after political opponents would be justifiable.
While speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Wednesday, Trump suggested he would not seek retribution via prosecution.
“It has to stop because otherwise, we’re not going to have a country. … I would have every right to go after them, and it’s easy,” Trump said.
Trump also backtracked statements he made during the 2016 presidential election, in which he called for his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to be “locked up.”
“Wouldn’t it be terrible if I locked up the wife of the president of the United States — former — and locked up the former secretary of state?” Trump asked, referring to Clinton. “It’s a terrible thing.”
In an interview with Dr. Phil shortly following his interview with Hannity, Trump switched his tune and said that “sometimes,” revenge is justified.
Dr. Phil prompted Trump by saying, “Enough is enough. Too much is too much. This is a race to the bottom, and it stops here. It stops now.”
Trump initially responded, “I’m OK with that,” and added, “Sometimes, I’m sure in certain moments I wouldn’t be, you know, when you go through what I’ve been through.”
When Dr. Phil asked if retribution was unhealthy for the country, Trump took back his statements.
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“Revenge does take time. I will say that. And sometimes, revenge can be justified. Phil, I have to be honest — sometimes, it can,” the former president said.
Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed he was criminally prosecuted in New York by the Biden administration.
