Fox’s John Roberts falsely denies that Trump has talked about deploying the military against Americans

In an interview on Fox, Trump recently suggested using troops against “the enemy within”

Written by Bushra Sultana

Published

On the October 30 edition of America Reports, Fox anchor John Roberts falsely claimed that Donald Trump has never said that he would use the military against the American people, claiming instead, “He said that he would bring in the National Guard to quell demonstrations that turned violent.”

Roberts was seemingly referring to Trump’s comments in an interview from early October in which Fox’s Maria Bartiromo asked the former president about “outside agitators” creating chaos on Election Day. Trump responded, “I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within,” adding, “We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. … It should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”

Roberts also ignored the larger context of Trump’s comments repeatedly calling Democrats and people who don’t support him “the enemy from within.” In an interview with Fox’s Howard Kurtz, Trump called Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) “an enemy from within,” claiming, “These are bad people. We have a lot of bad people. But when you look at ‘Shifty Schiff’ and some of the others, yeah, they are, to me, the enemy from within.” Trump has also repeatedly called mainstream media “the enemy of the people” since his 2016 election campaign.

From the October 30, 2024, edition of Fox News' America Reports

JOSE ARISTIMUNO (FORMER DNC DEPUTY NATIONAL PRESS SECRETARY): On the disinformation, there's a whole lot of Republicans out there that are saying that Kamala Harris is a socialist when she's not. When you have a former president, on Donald Trump, that wants to militarize the Department of Justice, wants to use the military on the American people. He said it himself — 

JOHN ROBERTS (ANCHOR): He never said that. 

ARISTIMUNO: And he’s the one who doesn’t recognize elections.  He doesn't recognize the 2020 election. That's what Nicolás Maduro does in Venezuela. So I invite my friends that are watching the program today, actually research of what these people are doing. Both Kamala and Donald Trump — look at their policies, look at their actions, not just their words. That's what's going to make a difference come November 5. 

ROBERTS: Steve, quick final word to you, with the caveat that Donald Trump never said that he was going to sic the U.S. military on the American people. He said that he would bring in the National Guard to quell demonstrations that turned violent.