Members of the Kennedy family on Thursday rebuked Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE, accusing him of joking about "the possibility of political assassination."

Trump earlier this week said that "Second Amendment folks" could take action to stop Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE from appointing liberal justices to the Supreme Court, sparking immediate backlash.

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In a Washington Post op-ed, William Kennedy Smith and Jean Kennedy Smith — the nephew and sister of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who were both assassinated — said Trump's comments disqualify him from holding office.

"It was with a real sense of sadness and revulsion that we listened to Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, as he referred to the options available to 'Second Amendment people,' a remark widely, and we believe correctly, interpreted as a thinly veiled reference or 'joke' about the possibility of political assassination," the Kennedys wrote.

"Anyone who loves politics, the open competition of ideas and public participation in a free society, knows that political violence is the greatest of all civic sins. It is not to be encouraged. It is not funny. It is not a joke."

The Kennedys called Trump's comments the latest in a pattern of "dark and offensive rhetoric" in his campaign.

"Trump’s remarks frequently, if not inevitably, spark outrage, which is followed by a clarification that, in lieu of an apology, seeks to attribute the dark undertones of his words to the listener’s twisted psyche. This fools no one," they wrote.

"The truth remains that words do matter, especially when it comes to presidential candidates. On that basis alone, Donald Trump is not qualified to be president of the United States."

At a rally Tuesday in North Carolina, Trump was speaking about the possibility that Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president, could appoint liberal justices to the Supreme Court.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," he said. "Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

The Clinton campaign called his remarks "dangerous" and said a person running for president "should not suggest violence in any way."

Trump's campaign has downplayed the controversy, blaming it on the media and the Clinton campaign spinning his remarks.