“Whether They Like It or Not”: Rep. Byron Donalds Defends Trump’s Controversial Comments on Protecting Women

CNN’s John Berman found himself in a tense exchange with Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) as he tried to clarify former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about protecting women “whether they like it or not.” The phrase, deemed ominous by critics, quickly caught attention, and Berman sought to press Donald on the intent behind Trump’s choice of words.

During the interview, Berman asked directly, “Why say ‘whether the women will like it or not’?” In response, Donald defended Trump’s statement, framing it as a part of his border security policy and accusing the media of taking it out of context. “Once again if you’re going to clip five seconds out of an hour speech and not provide context, this is why the American people frankly are frustrated with media,” Donalds argued.

“The heart of what Donald Trump said very clearly is he’s going to protect the women of our country because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have refused to protect the women of our country.” The exchange didn’t end there, as Berman also brought up Nikki Haley’s recent criticism of Trump’s campaign rhetoric, which she said emphasized “bromance and masculinity” in a way that alienated women voters. Berman asked Donalds to address Haley’s critique, suggesting her comments raised valid points about the campaign’s approach.

“So that’s your answer to Nikki Haley, then, that Nikki Haley’s irrelevant?” Berman pressed. “No, John, it’s not, John,” Donalds replied. Pivoting to border issues, he highlighted concerns about human trafficking, claiming that young girls are being trafficked and abused at the southern border. Donald linked this back to Trump’s policy stance, implying that such issues are at the heart of Trump’s promise to protect women, though he avoided addressing Haley’s specific criticism of Trump’s rhetoric.

Berman then circled back to another contentious topic: a recent ad from Elon Musk’s pro-Trump America PAC, which used a slur against Vice President Kamala Harris. The ad’s offensive language prompted Berman to ask Donalds for his opinion. Initially caught off guard, Donald defended Trump’s campaign by clarifying that the ad was produced by an independent group, not the official Trump campaign. “You’re assuming that Donald Trump can control what outside groups do – he cannot.

That would be a violation of federal election law, you know this, John,” Donalds replied, pointing out that super PACs operate independently. Donald’s answer shifted focus to highlight the aggressive language from anti-Trump PACs, accusing them of unfairly labeling Trump a fascist and likening him to Hitler. “They do it anyway,” he added, referencing recent threats on Trump’s life as an example of the hostile environment surrounding the election.

Throughout the segment, Donald maintained that Trump’s comments on “protecting women” were misinterpreted, insisting the former president’s focus was on border security and women’s safety. As the conversation drew to a close, Donald concluded by reiterating Trump’s campaign stance: “The true context is that Donald Trump’s going to do the job that a commander-in-chief should do, which is following the law securing our borders.”

The exchange highlighted the stark differences in how Trump’s supporters and critics interpret his comments, leaving the audience divided. While Donald aimed to steer the conversation back to policy, Berman’s questions underscored the criticism Trump’s rhetoric has drawn from both opponents and some conservatives like Haley, who fear it may drive away key voter demographics.