Faith Leader Tony Perkins Pushes Trump’s Claims of Violence After Election: ‘Antifa’ is ‘The Face of the Left’
Tony Perkins, an evangelical faith leader and president of the Family Research Council, pushed President Donald Trump’s claims of possible violence after the election, claiming that the political “violence is on the left” and that the anti-fascist movement Antifa is the new “face of the left.”
“If there is a turn over in the House, or the elections, which they all have consequences, we know that — this stuff could end. It could be overturned very quickly, don’t think it’s just going to trickle out. Because we see the energy on the other side. He did make a reference to Antifa which in many ways has become the face of the left. I don’t think anybody in the room suggested that there is going to be violence across the nation.”
“I’m going to stop you for a second there,” CNN anchor Erica Hill interjected. “It’s a reach to say Antifa is now the face of the left. I think that would be a bit of a stretch.”
Perkins continued by pushing the hysterical rhetoric, saying, “You talk about violence, the violence is on the left — Antifa. You don’t see evangelicals out there rioting, bumping cars.”
He did preface his comments by saying he believed Trump was pushing faith leaders to not be “complacent” about the upcoming election, as Republicans could lose the gains they have made under the current administration if Democrats do well in the midterms. Additionally, later in the interview, Perkins half-attempted to walk back claims of physical altercations, noting that he does not believe the president was claiming “there would be violence” if Democrats win.
As for the president’s comments, Trump reportedly told a group of evangelical leaders that Democrats “will overturn everything that we’ve done and they will do it quickly and violently.”
“There is violence,” Trump added. “When you look at Antifa — these are violent people.”
[image via screengrab]
