GOP chairwoman: Anyone who doesn’t support Trump ‘will be making a mistake’

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel warned Wednesday that those who don’t embrace President Trump’s agenda “will be making a mistake.”

McDaniel sent the stern message on Wednesday night, and was met with backlash from conservatives, liberals and members of the media.

She later sought to clarify her message in a second tweet, noting it reflected comments she made to Lou Dobbs on Fox News Business.

“Complacency is our enemy. Anyone that does not embrace the @realDonaldTrump agenda of making America great again will be making a mistake,” McDaniel said in the initial tweet on Wednesday night.

Complacency is our enemy. Anyone that does not embrace the @realDonaldTrump agenda of making America great again will be making a mistake.

— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) June 14, 2018

Social media users quickly pointed out what appeared to be a threatening tone in McDaniel’s tweet.

“What in the actual hell…. is this a threat Ronna?” tweeted Meghan McCain, co-host of ABC’s “The View” and daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

What in the actual hell…. is this a threat Ronna? https://t.co/HFz5zltzxK

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 14, 2018

“That sounds like a threat,” Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, replied.

That sounds like a threat.

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 14, 2018

“Gross,” MSNBC host Chris Hayes responded.

Gross

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 14, 2018

McDaniel added context for her answer in a subsequent tweet on Thursday morning, saying it “didn’t translate well” with Twitter’s character limit. 

She posted a photo of her full comments to Dobbs, where she argued that Republicans should continue pushing Trump’s agenda ahead of the November midterm elections.

Here’s the full context (https://t.co/TB89agUXoK) of my answer referenced in this tweet, which didn’t translate well with a 240-character limit: pic.twitter.com/MxcScW3QY1

— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) June 14, 2018

McDaniel’s tweets come one day after Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), who has been an outspoken critic of the president, lost his primary election.

His opponent, state Rep. Katie Arrington, labeled him a “Never Trumper” in campaign ads and secured an endorsement from the president just hours before polls closed.

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“Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA (make American great again). He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina,” Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon, referencing the congressman’s 2009 affair.

“I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!” he wrote.

Many of the most outspoken critics of Trump within the Republican party are leaving Congress after their current term, including Sanford, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Rep. Ryan Costello and Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), who retired last month.

–This report was updated on June 14 at 10:03 a.m.