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ABC News Backtracks After Call to ‘Cleanse’ Trump Supporters Post Capitol Hill Riots

Photo from Rick Klein’s Twitter

ABC News Backtracks After Call to ‘Cleanse’ Trump Supporters Post Capitol Hill Riots

By Movieguide® Staff

After the riots at Capitol Hill, Rick Klein, the political director for ABC News, called for the “cleansing” of President Donald Trump’s supporters and their movement.

Klein was candid about his goal to “cleanse” what Donald Trump left behind post-presidency. 

“Trump will be an ex-president in 13 days. The fact is that getting rid of Trump is the easy part. Cleansing the movement he commands is going to be something else,” Klein said in a tweet, which he later deleted.

Though Klein eventually deleted the tweet, he made his position clear. 

On ABC News’ website Klein and Mary Alice Parks, ABC News deputy political director, co-wrote a piece that echoed the call to “cleanse” the Trump movement. According to Fox News, ABC later edited the language. 

Fox News reported that the article now reads: “Cleaning up the movement he commands or getting rid of what he represents to so many Americans, is going to be something else.”

The term “cleansing” drew criticism from the right for its association with violence.

“You may not like it, but it’s perfectly within Klein’s right to say everything he said,” the Media Research Center’s Nick Kangadis wrote. “He can celebrate that Trump is leaving office all he wants. But it is the height of hypocrisy for those in the media to condemn others for violent acts that are dwarfed in comparison to the consistent violence of the far-left — one act doesn’t justify the other — and then go out and call for something like a ‘cleansing’ of people and think there’s nothing wrong with a statement like that.”

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.