Washington, D.C. — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has raised concerns over what he described as increasingly “dangerous” rhetoric and behavior from Democratic leaders, warning that such hostility toward President Donald Trump could have serious consequences for the country.
Speaking in an interview on Fox News, Gingrich criticized recent remarks from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D–N.Y.), who claimed that Republicans are “on the run.” The former speaker argued that Democratic leaders have turned to “extreme tactics” rather than focusing on solutions for the challenges facing the nation.
“You have a hard-line group who believe that they have the right to be violent, that they have the right to deny the American people the choice of their leadership, that they have the right to break the law,” Gingrich said. “The answer to all of that is, frankly, you have to enforce the law. Period.”
Concerns About Political Violence and Escalation
Gingrich, who served as Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999, compared the current political atmosphere to a historic test of America’s democratic system. He referenced Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, suggesting that the U.S. is once again facing a question of whether “a nation conceived in liberty” can endure amid deep internal division.
“At some point, people begin to realize that you can’t wage war against the entire American people,” Gingrich said. “In that sense, this is a test of whether freedom can survive under such intense political pressure.”
The former Speaker also defended businessman and presidential adviser Elon Musk, who has been assisting the Trump administration with plans to reduce federal spending. Gingrich said Musk’s involvement had become a new target for critics who oppose the administration’s reform agenda.