Elizabeth Warren leads Democrats firing back after being singled out in ‘never-ending’ Trump impeachment video

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Elizabeth Warren hit back on Twitter after Donald Trump’s impeachment trial defence team played videos of prominent Democrats calling on their supporters to “fight”.

Part of Mr Trump’s defence is that he only used similar language to those trying to impeach him. The attempt to undercut their argument that his words incited the 6 January storming of the US Capitol is that he has been taken out of context.

The video montage attracted ridicule online as examples of generally innocuous, metaphorical rhetoric from Democrats were held up in contrast to Mr Trump’s words immediately proceeding a violent act of insurrection.

In a video clip, the Massachusetts senator said about Mr Trump: “Take him out now.” Another showed her saying: “We fight harder, we fight tougher, and we fight passionately.”

Ms Warren posted her own video compilation from her primary rallies, drawing a contrast to those of the former president, and suggesting that aggressive rhetoric is not a staple as it is at a Trump rally.

“In case anyone is wondering what my rallies look like,” she wrote, posting the compilation video of clips of her speaking with young girls at events in 2019 and early 2020 .

The defence team footage also included President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer all saying the words “fight” or “fought” in speeches or interviews, mostly it appears in an inoffensive or metaphorical way.

In one, Mr Schumer was talking about fighting Covid-19.

Follow the impeachment trial live

In another, the New York senator famously said that Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh had “released the whirlwind” and would “pay the price” as the court heard arguments in a case on abortion.

Mr Schumer later said that he had not meant his remarks to be threatening or to encourage violence, after being rebuked by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Vox journalist Aaron Rupar asked: “What is this never-ending video of Democrats saying ‘fight’ meant to prove? Is it supposed to be a form of torture?”

“Will Itchy and Scratchy be featured in the next ‘fight’ video montage?” asked film director Adam Rifkin, referring to the warring cartoon cat and mouse featured in The Simpsons.

Kamala Harris was quoted as saying: “Does one of us have to come out alive” (of an elevator with Trump, Pence, or Jeff Sessions), and “the strength of who we are is we will fight,” as well as: “It is a fight borne out of patriotism.”

A clip of Nancy Pelosi had her saying: “We’ve got to be ready to throw a punch.”

Representative Maxine Waters appeared, saying: “I will go and take Trump out tonight,” and Senator Corey Booker implored people to: “Please, get up in the face of some congresspeople.”

Also making an appearance was Denis McDonough, the newly confirmed secretary of veterans affairs.

In that clip, from his Senate confirmation hearing, The Washington Post reports Mr McDonough said: “I’m a fighter, and I’m relentless.” He was promising to fight for the right of America’s veterans and was subsequently confirmed to his position by a bipartisan vote of 87 to 7 senators.

Other clips presented in the montage related to the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020. Commentators were quick to note the false equivalency between Trump supporters and the protesters responding to police violence — people did not take to the streets at the behest of Democrats.

At Mr Trump’s 6 January rally at the Ellipse in the hours before the fatal attack on the Capitol, the then president called on his supporters to “fight like hell” and march down Pennsylvania Avenue to Congress, which they then did.

One “fight” quote from that day the defence team says is inoffensive and metaphorical but has been taken out of context is when Mr Trump compared Republicans to a boxer fighting with his hands tied behind his back. He said that they have to fight much harder.

The defence team also cited two incidents in 2017 when pop star Madonna said she had thought about blowing up the White House, and actor Johnny Depp had asked a festival crowd in Scotland: “When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?”

Madonna clarified she has been speaking “in metaphor”, and Mr Depp apologised for making a “bad joke”.