On Monday, CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings firmly stated that, following a second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, he would not tolerate accusations against Republicans for escalating rhetoric.

He highlighted that media and Democrats had spent much of the last decade portraying Trump as a threat not only to political preferences but also to democracy and human rights. Jennings expressed concern that this narrative might be a bell that cannot be easily unrung.

“I’m not interested in ‘the rhetoric on both sides’ today. Trump is the target. He’s survived two assassination attempts. He’s in danger and it’s probably too late to de-radicalize everyone who thinks the country will end if he wins,” he captioned a video clip.

Jennings responded to remarks from a CNN host who stated that the inflammatory rhetoric was a “both sides” issue, arguing that both the left and right were responsible for escalating tensions when they should be working to reduce them.

“The rhetoric — they have tried to kill this man twice, okay? He got shot in the ear, and this guy was setting up shop outside of a golf course to try to kill him this weekend,” Jennings shot back. “And I know after something like this happens, it’s very fashionable to, you know, talk about rhetoric on both sides. Donald Trump is the target, okay? He’s the current target, and it’s happening, and it’s happened again, and I just — honestly, we have to have a conversation about elections. If you lose an election, the country’s not going to come to an end, okay? Democracy will not end if Trump should win a second term in the White House.  The constitution will not end, we’re not going to live in a dictatorship, there will not be a bloodbath, all the things they say that are totally fabricated — to me, it would be a good day to stop doing that.”

He ended by pointing out that suddenly everyone wanted to “fix” the rhetoric following the second assassination attempt, but he was uncertain if it would be effective.