Donald Trump called former lawmaker Liz Cheney "a radical war hawk" and suggested she herself should face combat with guns trained on her, drawing condemnation from critics who said his comments showed he would target his enemies in office if he wins the presidential election.
Former President Trump, who faces Democratic US Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday's election, also called Cheney on Thursday "a very dumb individual" and noted that she and her father, former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, refused to back his third presidential run.
"She's a radical war hawk. Let's put her with a 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 told supporters at a campaign event with former Fox News television host Tucker Carlson in Arizona.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to investigate or prosecute his political rivals, including Cheney, as well as election workers, journalists and left-wing Americans, among others, and has said the military could be used against what he calls "radical left lunatics" if there is unrest on Election Day.
One of the most high-profile Republicans to turn against Trump, Cheney has endorsed Harris in the Nov. 5 contest, saying she crossed party lines to put the country before politics and calling Trump a "danger."