Trump Lauds Montana Congressman For Body-Slamming Jewish Journalist

Image by facebook

By Alyssa Fisher October 19, 2018

President Trump applauded a congressman at a rally Thursday for assaulting a reporter last year, the Washington Post reported.

Trump was speaking to a crowd in Montana, where Rep. Greg Gianforte body-slammed Jewish journalist Ben Jacobs in May 2017, just days before a special election race.

The president mentioned Gianforte and cracked a joke: “By the way, never wrestle him.”

“Any guy that can do a body slam, he’s my kind of — he’s my guy,” Trump continued.

Jacobs, the Guardian’s political correspondent, was asking Gianforte about the GOP health-care plan when the Montana congressman grabbed him, threw him down and punched him, according to the Post. Although he pleaded guilty, Gianforte still won the election.

Trump’s comments were met with cheers from the 8,000-person crowd, the Guardian reported. This was reportedly the first time a U.S. president openly praised violence against a journalist.

Here’s the video of Trump on Greg Gianforte body slamming Ben Jacobs: “Any guy that can do a body slam, he’s my kind of guy.” pic.twitter.com/8tWxLXE6Jx

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 19, 2018

Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO