GLENDALE, Arizona — President Trump launched another attack on Representative Liz Cheney late Thursday, calling the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman a “war hawk” and suggesting she might not be as willing to send troops to fight if she had guns pointed at her.

During an event at Glendale, Arizona, with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the Republican presidential candidate was asked if it is weird to see Ms. Cheney campaign against him.

Ms. Cheney has vocally opposed Trump since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and has become a surrogate for his Democratic opponent, Vice President Harris.

Trump called Cheney “a deranged person,” then added: “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”

After calling Ms. Cheney “a very dumb individual,” he said: “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.”

Trump added: “You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy.”

After Ms. Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media pounced on the quote, Trump’s campaign responded that he “was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.”

Ms. Cheney posted on X Friday morning a strong reaction to the comments. “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant. #Womenwillnotbesilenced #VoteKamala”

Associated Press