Katrina Pierson Claims Reporters 'Literally Beat Trump Supporters Into Submission'

Michael Calderone
She might want to look up the definition of the word "literally." (Photo: Fox Business)
She might want to look up the definition of the word "literally." (Photo: Fox Business)

Katrina Pierson, the national spokeswoman for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, baselessly claimed Monday that journalists have attacked supporters of the Republican nominee.

During a Fox Business interview, Pierson defended Trump’s incessant complaints about news coverage by suggesting “voters want someone who is going to fight back.”

“They are tired of seeing left-wing reporters literally beat Trump supporters into submission, into supporting policies they don’t agree with,” she said.

There is no evidence reporters have “literally beat” Trump supporters, even as some of the nominee’s fans have recently become enraged at the press.

Journalists, however, have faced violence while covering Trump. In March, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski grabbed then-Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields, who now writes for HuffPost. BuzzFeed reported that month that Lewandowski pushed a reporter from CNN, which now employs the former Trump operative.

A Secret Service agent roughed up a Time magazine photographer in February after he left the campaign’s designated “press pen” to cover a protest. Meanwhile, the Secret Service has also protected an NBC reporter after Trump singled her out at a rally.

Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller did not immediately respond for comment about Pierson’s claim.

But Miller defended Pierson Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” after she falsely claimed a day earlier that Barack Obama was president when the United States invaded Afghanistan.

“Katrina is a valuable member of our team,” Miller said. “We’re glad to have her on board. She’s on board pretty early with Mr. Trump. As you heard her say, there was some audio difficulties hearing that question.”

Indeed, Pierson tweeted Saturday afternoon about audio problems, though they weren’t apparent during the segment. Pierson said on air that “Barack Obama went into Afghanistan,” and when given an opportunity to clarify if she meant the invasion happened after 2009, said it was “Obama’s war.”

The U.S. entered Afghanistan shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, while Obama wasn’t sworn in as president until Jan. 20, 2009.

“Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter said Sunday there seemed to be a “pattern of misinformation” when it comes to Pierson. Miller said such an observation was an “unneeded slight towards one of our campaign members.”

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims ― 1.6 billion members of an entire religion ― from entering the U.S.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.