(Headline USA) Former President Donald Trump is endorsing Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., one day after he was censured by the House of Representatives for posting a Japanese anime parody that depicted a character with his face slaying New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Trump, in a statement, hailed Gosar as “a loyal supporter of our America First agenda” and “highly respected in Arizona,” and said he “has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
The statement made no mention of the House’s rare partisan rebuke—just the fourth in nearly 40 years—which also stripped Gosar of his two committee assignments, on the Natural Resources and the Oversight and Reform panels.
Gosar has said the video, which was produced by his taxpayer-funded office, had been mischaracterized and was not intended to be a threat. In addition to Ocasio–Cortez, the the video also depicted Gosar’s character attacking President Joe Biden with swords.
Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, meanwhile, has called the censure an “abuse of power” by Democrats and signaled payback should Republicans retake the House majority next year.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
