Conservative commentator Scott Jennings faced sharp criticism for his arguments during a heated CNN panel discussion about the role of political rhetoric in the assassination attempts on Donald Trump.

Jennings, the CNN contributor, argues that the intense rhetoric from Democrats, not from either side of the political divide, is to blame for the attempts on Trump’s life. He has criticized Democrats for portraying the former president as a threat to democracy. (Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election and has laid the groundwork to also claim this year’s vote was rigged if he loses.)

On Monday, Jennings argued that the message is the foundation of Vice President Kamala Harris’ entire campaign.

“I mean, she repeats it herself. ‘Trump will be a dictator on Day 1,’” said Jennings, a former adviser to President George W. Bush. “I mean, this country fights dictators!”

“Didn’t he say that?” interrupted a fellow panelist, historian Tim Naftali.

“Those were his words!” Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen noted.

Jennings then suggested that Harris had said things like “he’s going to be a dictator” and “there’s going to be a bloodbath.”

Trump said in December that he planned to act like a dictator on “Day 1” of a potential second administration. Harris has told people about that claim during public appearances.

The Republican candidate also claimed in March, during a discussion about the auto industry, that there would be “a bloodbath” if he were not elected. His campaign later specified that he meant “an economic bloodbath.”

Harris said during last week’s debate that Trump promised there would be “a bloodbath” if he lost.

CNN anchor Abby Phillip checked Jennings out on the air. She noted that Harris “inappropriately and unfairly mischaracterized (Trump) by saying there would be a bloodbath if he (didn’t) get elected.”

“However, she did not say there would be a bloodbath if Trump were elected,” she clarified.

After a suspected gunman was arrested at Trump’s Florida golf course on Sunday, the Republican blamed Harris and President Joe Biden, claiming that “their rhetoric is getting me shot.”

Jennings’ comment sparked a furious response on social media, with a clip of the conversation viewed more than a million times.

Many respondents noted that Trump had said on day one that he wanted to be a dictator. Others pointed to his constant stream of inflammatory and dishonest rhetoric and other examples of his authoritarian aspirations. They sarcastically wondered if Harris was sowing division by warning Americans of this.

“Essentially, we should not be repeating what Trump says and calling Trump out on it, because it is so inflammatory to do so. Understood,” said George Conway, a conservative lawyer and outspoken critic of Trump.

See some other criticisms below.