Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Newsmax on Thursday said the era of Republican hesitation in addressing left-wing violence is finished, vowing swift consequences for lawlessness during an appearance on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
Rollins, who also founded the America First Policy Institute, said the time for Republican passivity in the face of radical left-wing violence is over, calling for stronger action and legal consequences for offenders.
"The time of Republicans sitting back and thinking about things and 'should we, maybe, you know, make a statement' — the time for that is over," Rollins said. "President [Donald] Trump is in the White House right behind me right now. Actually, we have a new sheriff in town. We have a new cabinet in town."
"There is no room for this tyranny, for the violence, for the weaponization of government," she added. "And I think that the people that are completely disregarding the law and working to do whatever they're doing with [Tesla CEO] Elon [Musk] and his company — they will pay the consequences. And I think that's really, really positive."
"Well, I couldn't agree with you more," Rollins said when asked about the threat posed by what was described as radical and violent elements on the left. "And honestly, it reminds me of the summer of 2020 with the BLM — Black Lives Matter — riots when they were literally burning down cities and creating their own infrastructure. It was wild and crazy."
Rollins pointed to what she described as a clear division in the country — not between Republicans and Democrats but between those who value liberty and those who embrace violence.
"This is not Republican versus Democrat. This is America. And those who believe in freedom and liberty and everything that has made our country great versus those that believe in tyranny and violence," she said.
"It just will wake, hopefully, everyone up even more to what they voted for in November, which was freedom, liberty, opportunity, and real change for our country," she said.
She also praised tech entrepreneur Musk as a symbol of those values.
"They're all just idiots, and they don't know what they're cheering for. Elon Musk is an American hero. He is a patriot. I am so grateful to him every single day for everything he is doing for our country," Rollins said. "And listen, we're just going to keep powering forward here at the White House."
In response to a call for tougher legal action against violent offenders, Rollins agreed harsh penalties are necessary.
"There is no doubt about that," she said. "And listen, [Attorney General] Pam Bondi is one of my very best friends… She is a warrior and a patriot."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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