Sen. Mazie Hirono condemned President Trump for the "implicit threat" of violence she says he made in an interview this week with Breitbart News. During an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes, Hirono said Trump's comments were "appalling," noting, "it sounds very much to me like he’s encouraging [his supporters] to engage in something that’s probably illegal, such as assaulting people."



"You know, the left plays a tougher game, it’s very funny. I actually think that the people on the right are tougher, but they don’t play it tougher. OK? I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad. But the left plays it cuter and tougher. Like with all the nonsense that they do in Congress," Trump told Breitbart.





"That sounds like a threat to me," Hirono said. "I think it's appalling."



"This isn't the type of language the president of the United States should be employing. Words matter."





CHRIS HAYES, MSNBC: There's another question here, which is for years people have been saying, "When will Republicans break with Trump?" And I've said I don't think they will. They're all kind of in the same boat. They understand that their fates are tied in some deep sense. Two days in a row, genuine rebukes, the president. Small. It's a minority of the caucus. But majorities voting against the president in the Senate two days in a row on fairly signature issues. Is this the start of something new or a blip? >>



SEN. MAZIE HIRONO: I'd hate for it to be a blip because that just means the Republicans in both the House and Senate are going to stick their heads in the sand and support this president no matter what.



Just today he said something real ea dangerous in my view. Something about, he has lots of friends, biker friends, etc. That can hurt liberals. What is that? Except a strong message inducing people to hurt others. This isn't the type of language the president of the United States should be employing. Words matter.



HAYES: I want to read that quote, just so I have it specifically. He's talking to a right-wing publication. He says, "I actually think the people on the right are tougher but they don't play it tougher. I can tell you I have the support of the police, the military, the bikers for trump. I have the tough people but they don't play it tough until they go to a certain point and then it would be very bad, very bad." You see that as implicit threat of violence?



HIRONO: I think it’s more than an implicit threat. I think it sounds very much to me like he’s encouraging them to engage in something that’s probably illegal such as assaulting people, you know behave in a dangerous way. That sounds like a threat to me. I think it’s appalling.