New York Dem Says ‘Mistakenly Used Wrong Word’ After Calling for Trump to Be ‘Eliminated’

House Oversight Committee member Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) talks to reporters as he departs the O'Neill House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 31, 2023. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) denies that a comment he made about former President Donald Trump, where he called for the 45th U.S. president to be “eliminated,” was condoning violence against political figures.

In a Nov. 20 interview on MSNBC with President Joe Biden’s former press secretary Jen Psaki, Mr. Goldman said, in his opinion, that former President Trump’s rhetoric is “getting dangerous.” He also stated he believes the former president shouldn’t be allowed to hold public office again.

Mr. Goldman ended his statements with phrasing that some viewers of the show have interpreted as condoning violence against the former president.

“We saw what happened on Jan. 6, when he (President Trump) used his inflammatory rhetoric, and his recent Truth Social post, is incredibly, incredibly scary for anyone that might be trying to work in government,” Mr. Goldman said.

“And it is just unquestionable, at this point, that man cannot see public office again. He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy, and he has to be eliminated,” he added.

A committee investigating the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the White House released an 814-page report (pdf) with all its findings. The committee voted to refer former President Trump to the Department of Justice to consider at least four criminal charges.

Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a campaign rally at Trendsetter Engineering Inc., in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 2, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

However, several House Republicans have been pushing for a new House investigation of the Capitol breach after new security footage presented a different view of the incident, showing far less violence and mayhem. The footage has called into question the original Jan. 6 committee’s findings. President Trump has always maintained that he did nothing wrong.

Goldman’s Comments Provoke Backlash

Conservative social media users were quick to condemn the comments made by Mr. Goldman. Many noted the phrasing, and compared it to advocating for violence against public officials, an act that Mr. Goldman appeared to be accusing President Trump and Republicans of during the interview.

Co-owner of the news site “Trending Politics,” Collin Rugg, pointed out the double standard. In a Nov. 20 post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Mr. Rugg said that by using Mr. Goldman’s logic, “Goldman should never see public office again.”

Meanwhile, radio host Mike Gallagher argued that Mr. Goldman’s apparent mistake was merely a slip of the tongue that betrayed his true intent for all to hear.

“Sometimes, they slip and say the quiet part out loud,” Mr. Gallagher posted on X.

Goldman Denies He Was Condoning Violence

Mr. Goldman posted a statement to X, defending himself against the backlash and declaring the whole incident a mistake made while expressing his passionate views about the future leadership of the United States.

“I mistakenly used the wrong word to express the importance for America that Donald Trump doesn’t become President again,” he said.

“While he must be defeated, I certainly wish no harm to him and do not condone political violence. I apologize for the poor choice of words,” Mr. Goldman added.

The Epoch Times has contacted both the offices of Rep. Daniel Goldman and former president Donald Trump for further comment, but did not hear back before publication.