President Trump said Thursday that a retired Supreme Court justice’s call for repealing the Second Amendment could lead to “tyranny.”
Speaking at a union hall in Richfield, Ohio, the president referred to an article penned this week by retired liberal Justice John Paul Stevens, who said students protesting school shootings in the U.S. should advocate for repealing the Second Amendment.
The president said it’s not going to happen.
“A very important and respected, in some circles, Democrat said we should get rid of our Second Amendment,” Mr. Trump said, nearly at a loss for words. “That’s really — it’s …”
A member of the audience called out, “Tyranny!”
The president heard the man’s remark and replied, “It’s tyranny — could be right about that.”
“So, we’re going to protect our Second Amendment,” the president went on. “That’s not going to happen. We have the best judges. Your Second Amendment will always be your Second Amendment. We’re not doing anything to that.”
The crowd applauded.
Although the president referred to Justice Stevens as a Democrat, he was a Republican when President Gerald Ford nominated him to the Supreme Court in 1975. He consistently voted with the high court’s liberal wing until his retirement in 2010.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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