ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl shared a recollection involving President Donald Trump during a podcast with Hasan Minhaj. Karl recalled a moment when Trump indicated that he felt threatened by the Justice Department’s potential actions against him and media outlets, illustrating his willingness to confront those he sees as adversaries.
Minhaj posed the question, “Have you ever felt fear for your safety or your actions?” which prompted Karl to recount Trump’s reaction to specific comments made by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding “hate speech” after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Karl asked Trump about Bondi’s stance, which some argue infringes on free speech. In a surprising rebuttal, Trump suggested that Bondi might target journalists, including Karl, for their perceived hostility towards him.
“You have a lot of hate in your heart,” Trump allegedly responded. This characterization left Karl taken aback, as he emphasized that the notion of a president utilizing the Department of Justice to intimidate journalists posed significant concerns for First Amendment rights. Karl noted that both liberals and conservatives criticized Bondi’s comments, highlighting the complex landscape surrounding free speech issues.
In the same vein, Karl remembered a “weird” encounter with Trump where they discussed whether to invite him to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2020. He emphasized that he wasn’t about to compromise for Trump’s sake, stressing that decisions about the dinner were not up for negotiation.
