Trump uses violent language to attack 'war hawk' Liz Cheney: NPR

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, used violent language to criticize former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney. Cheney is campaigning for Trump's rival, Vice President Harris.

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Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump lashed out at former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney in Arizona on Thursday, using violent language and insults to describe his opponent's most prominent Republican supporter, Vice President Harris.

During an onstage conversation with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson in Glendale, Arizona, Trump launched into a meandering diatribe against Cheney, who was one of only two Republicans on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot.

Trump said Cheney was a “radical war hawk” who wanted to keep American troops in Iraq and Syria, which he said cost too many young American lives and was too expensive.

“Let’s put them up with a nine-barrel gun that shoots at them,” Trump told Carlson. “Let's see how she feels, you know, with the guns pointed at her face.”

“You know they're all war hawks when they sit in a nice building in Washington and say, 'Oh man, let's send 10,000 troops straight into the jaws of the enemy.'”

Trump has often spoken of revenge and resentment on the campaign trail, describing domestic opponents as the “enemy from within” and suggesting that the military could step in to deal with disruptions from his political opponents.

He had previously said that Cheney was guilty of treason and should be sent to prison.

Cheney campaigned with Harris because she said she thought Trump was a danger to the country and didn't believe in conservative principles.

Harris' campaign was quick to highlight Trump's comments on Thursday – and Trump's campaign was also quick to call the controversy over it a “hoax.”

During his long and tortuous response to Carlson, Trump also heaped scorn on his former national security adviser John Bolton for his trademark mustache. Bolton has said he will not support Trump in this election, although he did not support Harris.