Trump explains that his comment about Cheney lacking "guts" to fight a war with a rifle was not meant to be taken literally, after facing criticism from Democrats.

On Friday, former President Trump explained that his remark about Liz Cheney lacking "guts" to fight on the front lines of war was in reference to her political battles, not to a physical confrontation.

"The Republican presidential nominee wrote on Truth Social that Liz Cheney is a War Hawk and a dumb one, but she wouldn't have the courage to fight herself. He criticized her for being able to talk easily from a distance, but when faced with the possibility of fighting, she would back down. He also criticized her father for causing death and destruction in the Middle East and other places, and for profiting from it. He argued that this was not the kind of leadership the country needed."

Trump sparked outrage when he referred to Cheney as a "radical war hawk" at an Arizona event on Thursday, adding, "Let's put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let's see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. They're all war hawks when they're sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let's send 10,000 troops into the mouths of the enemies,’ but she’s a stupid person and I used to have meetings with a lot of people and she always wanted to go to war with people."

In a campaign stop in Dearborn, Michigan, on Friday, Trump stated that even during his administration, she was pushing for war with everyone, and he said that if she were given a rifle and allowed to fight, she wouldn't do well. He added that she is a war hawk who wants to unnecessarily kill people.

The accusations of violent rhetoric against Trump prompted liberals to claim that he was suggesting Cheney should face a firing squad.

"Vice President Harris stated in a press conference on Friday that Donald Trump's violent rhetoric about political opponents, including suggesting rifles should be trained on former Rep. Liz Cheney, is disqualifying and unqualifies him to be President of the United States."

In September, Harris received Cheney's endorsement, and the two have been campaigning together.

Cheney wrote on Friday in response to Trump's Thursday remarks on X, stating, "Dictators destroy free nations by threatening those who oppose them with death. We cannot trust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, and unstable man who desires to be a tyrant."

She added the hashtags "#Womenwillnotbesilenced" and "#VoteKamala."

Democrats have been accused by Republicans of increasing the likelihood of violence against Trump through their rhetoric labeling him as a "fascist" and a "threat to democracy."

In July, the former president was shot by a would-be assassin and later targeted by another suspect near his home in Florida.