A reporter for The New York Times said Tuesday that supporters of former President Donald Trump should be labeled as "enemies of the state" in order to fix America's national security "dilemma."
Katie Benner said on Twitter amid the first Jan. 6 committee hearing that the committee "underscores" efforts to "combat legitimate national security threats."
"Today's #January6thSelectCommittee underscores the America's current, essential natsec dilemma: Work to combat legitimate national security threats now entails calling a politician’s supporters enemies of the state," Benner, who was also recently hired as a contributor at MSNBC, wrote in since-deleted tweets.
"As Americans, we believe that state power should not be used to work against a political figure or a political party," she continued. "But what happens if a politician seems to threaten the state? If the politician continues to do so out of office and his entire party supports that threat?"
She went on to speculate that, due to the Russia investigation and both Trump impeachments leaving the "dilemma" to remain "unresolved," the select committee would likely not lead to the changes she desires either.
"That leaves it up to voters, making even more essential free, fair access to the polls," the DOJ reporter for The Times said.
Benner's tweet received heaps of criticism before she finally elected to take it down.
Hearing anyone describe a traumatic and violent experience provoke emotions: even for police officers. That's what today is for.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2021
But the fixation on 1/6 is about exactly this: classifying Trump supporters as Enemies of the State for political gain & Security State power.
One of the corrupt FBI’s favorite leak receptacles at NYT is acknowledging what we all see: merely opposing the ruling regime makes you an “enemy of the state.” The lawless U.S. intelligence apparatus is admitting it is weaponizing all of its post-9/11 tools against you. https://t.co/bUR3BSiZ2c
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 27, 2021
Benner said she deleted the Twitter thread because her comments were "unclearly worded."
I deleted unclearly worded tweets regarding the Jan 6. committee hearing.
— Katie Benner (@ktbenner) July 27, 2021