WATCH: The Jaw-Dropping Moment Trump-Backed Candidate Reveals He Thinks ‘Banana Republic’ Refers to the Store

Tommy ChristopherAug 16th, 2022, 10:40 am

Trump-endorsed Republican congressional candidate Bo Hines made a cringeworthy gaffe while trying to deride President Joe Biden’s mental sharpness, misusing the popular political expression “banana republic.”

Hines is the former football player who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in March, and defeated his next-closest competitor by ten points in the North Carolina 13th district Republican primary.

“Bo Hines is an unwavering America First patriot and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote in his endorsement message.

He’s also a viral sensation now, thanks to an appearance on the John Fredericks Radio Show that was flagged by Carolina Forward and circulated widely on Twitter. The trouble started when host John Fredericks asked Hines if he’d actually follow through with defunding the FBI:

JOHN FREDERICKS: You get the Congress, is it going to be real? Are we actually going to be willing to defund IRS, FBI and things of that nature?

BO HINES: I mean, we have to. I mean, we’re at a point in our country now where we have a unregulated fourth branch of government that’s targeting middle class Americans on a daily basis. I mean, it’s unbelievable, what we’re seeing. A lot of people have likened the situation that’s going on right now is, you know, they say we’re in a Banana Republic. I think that’s an insult to Banana Republics across the country. I mean, at least the manager of Banana Republic, unlike our president, knows where he is and why he’s there and what he’s doing.

The term “Banana republic” dates back to a 1901 story by O. Henry, and is used as political shorthand for corrupt, unstable, authoritarian governments like the tropical country described in the story. The clothing company of the same name was founded in 1978.

Fredericks did not circle back to the reference during the rest of the half-hour interview, at least not the portion that aired. The live feed also shows the conversation during the commercial breaks, but in the break following the gaffe, Fredericks muted the hot mic about halfway through his goodbyes to Hines and his press rep.