U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry introduces financier and philanthropist George Soros, who spoke with Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Doug Frantz about strengthening civil society, democracy, and the world economy at the U.S. Department of State’s Open Forum in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2014. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday he hopes President Donald Trump’s designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization will open up who is funding it, and said he’s “appalled” that members of presumptive Democrat nominee Joe Biden’s campaign were donating money to help bail out people arrested during Minnesota’s protesting over the death of George Floyd.
“(These) are also people who trashed Seattle years ago,” Gingrich said on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” in a comment Trump quoted on Twitter soon after.
“They made a habit of this,” Gingrich said. “Who is paying for these people? I was appalled that 13 of Joe Biden’s staff were donating money to bail people out in Minneapolis.
“These are not riots in a traditional sense,” said Gingrich. “You have a nationwide group, Antifa is part of it, but there are other elements involved . . . who is organizing it? How is it happening?
Gingrich added that the protests are presenting dangers to civilization, and “we have to do whatever it takes to put down the people who would destroy our country.”
He also slammed Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, saying he doesn’t understand why sites like the National Mall were not protected.
