Gorka: North Korea has the ability and intent to destabilize

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Gorka: North Korea has the ability and intent to destabilize

Deputy assistant to President Trump reacts to failed North Korean missile launch on 'Hannity'

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 28, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And this is a "Fox News Alert." U.S. officials confirm to the Fox News Channel that North Korea has test-fired a ballistic missile, raising tensions with the United States and the entire world. Dr. Sebastian Gorka will join us tonight with reaction. Also, Larry Elder, Geraldo Rivera, Jay Sekulow, Michael Cohen and the NRA's Wayne LaPierre will all be here tonight.

But first, it's been a very busy week for President Trump, with tomorrow marking his 100th day in office. Now, despite President Trump's long list of accomplishments, well, that's getting bigger, by the way, by the day, the alt radical left destroy Trump media -- they continue to viciously attack the commander-in-chief all in an attempt to damage and delegitimize his presidency.

Tonight's "Opening Monologue" will tell you what they won't.

All right, here we are, day 99 of the Trump presidency. And today, the president was busy keeping promises that made to you, the American people. Now, earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order that could lead to a major boom in drilling in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, which is a big part of his energy independence plan that will create a lot of jobs.

This is just one way (ph) of the president's many accomplishments. Democrats, the destroy Trump media -- they will never tell you about these things because it doesn't fit into their ideological narrative. They will distort, they will ignore everything the president has accomplished.

Now, like appointing, for example, Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. Remember, that was a key part of his campaign. Now, Judge Gorsuch came directly from then candidate Trump's list of judges to fill Antonin Scalia's seat.

Now, the president is overseeing, as well, a resurgence in American job creation. Get this. Since January, over a half a million jobs have, in fact, been created. The stock market is soaring, and business confidence is now at an all-time high. Anybody in the media reporting this?

Well, not to mention major companies, manufacturers -- let's see, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, Intel, Carrier -- too many to list -- many others are already or have promised to create jobs and in the process pump billions of dollars into the American economy.

Now, the Trump administration has taken a chainsaw to Obama-era burdensome regulations, and he's promised to cut rules and regulations that are killing and choking off business by up to 75 percent.

Also, getting the coal miners back to work -- that was a big part of the president's plan -- and he's put an end to the war on coal that was carried out by the Obama administration. Also, illegal immigration is now plummeting at America's southern border. Crossings are down a whopping 60 percent. And that's without the border wall that the Democrats are blocking. That's only by enforcing the laws that are on the books that Obama never did.

Now, the president is also trying to fight back against sanctuary cities despite the alt radical left blocking those efforts -- and they do it by, of course, judge shopping in left-wing activists courts in the West Coast, and of course, they talk about, well, where are they going to bring it? To a judge that will rule against President Trump and bring to the 9th circuit.

He's also drafted a plan to defeat ISIS and he's making progress in taking back territory from that terrorist group in Iraq. Now, the president also said he'd drain the swamp. Part of that includes his 5-year lobbying ban.

The Trump administration also sanctioned Iran over their ballistic missile test and they put the rogue regime in Tehran on notice. And more importantly, the president has ordered a full review of what is the disastrous Iranian nuclear deal. And unlike his predecessor, President Trump -- he responded to Syria's use of chemical weapons with a tactical and precise Tomahawk missile strike. Why? To send a message to Bashar al Assad. And by the way, the Trump administration also sanctioned Syria just like Tehran.

Now, the White House also introduced this week a massive tax reform plan and that would slash personal and corporate taxes. And that means putting more money back in your pockets and giving American companies the money they badly need to create jobs.

And earlier this week, the president started the process to begin renegotiation of NAFTA with Mexico and Canada, like he promised on the campaign trail.

The president has also created a task force to reduce crime and is focusing on stopping gangs like MS-13. He signed executive orders to finally protect police officers and to go after drug cartels.

And the president is also working on sending education -- he did it this week -- to the states by signing the executive order to review federal control over the educational system. Also this week, the White House is working to fix the Department of Veterans Affairs, another big campaign promise. The president signed an order to improve accountability and to protect whistleblowers.

Now, all of these are real, tangible accomplishments you won't hear about in the mainstream media. The Democrats, the destroy Trump media, refuse to face reality, give him any kind of credit, and that's why what I just told you you will never hear from them.

Now, just take a look at how the obstructionist Democrats -- look at how they in all their partisanship, with all their obstruction, have graded the president in his first 100 days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALI., MINORITY LEADER: President Trump has shown that he does not value the future of our children, our seniors, working families, and our country.

The grades are coming due for President Trump after a historically dismal first 100 days. Budgets F. Creating jobs F. Draining the swamp F. Health care, F-minus.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY, MINORITY LEADER: Unless his approach changes, the next 100 days will be just like the first, a series of broken or unfulfilled promises and very few results for America's working families.

I don't think he's improving or learning in the job. It, as my colleague said, it's an F.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Of course, congressional Democrats -- now, they're not the only ones who have endlessly every day gone after the president. Now, the destroy Trump media -- they viciously attack him day in, day out, even before he became president. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SETH MEYERS, COMEDIAN: Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We better be ready for the fact that he might be leading the Republican ticket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next--

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know you don't believe that, but I want to go on--

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which Republican candidate has the best chance of winning the general election?

ANN COULTER, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: Of the declared ones? Right now, Donald Trump.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I understand why so many people voted for him. I understand where you were coming from. I understand why you liked him. But this man is lying to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump's critics, those who are worried about this president and this White House, saw a live special television event brought to you by narcissism, thin skin, chaos and deeply personal grievances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was a whitelash. This was a whitelash against a changing country. It was a whitelash against a black president, in part. And that's the part where the pain comes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he said today, "America first," it was not just the racial -- I mean, the -- I shouldn't say racial, the Hitlerian background to it--

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a very sad night for the country. You can't polish this turd.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he called you fake news, what if you had called him a fake president?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right, the destroy Trump media obviously -- they've also been criticizing the president for not going to the White House correspondents dinner tomorrow night. Why wouldn't you want to hang out with all those wonderful people? Now, instead, he's holding a rally in Pennsylvania because he'd rather be with the people that need his help, the people that voted for him.

And here's the president explaining that decision. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm treated very unfairly and very dishonestly by the press. And I thought it was inappropriate to go this year. If I were treated even slightly fairly by the press, I would have gone. But I mean, look, they're writing stories about how unfairly I get treated by the press. So I just felt it was inappropriate. I thought it would be very disingenuous if I went. I thought it would be, actually, in a certain way, dishonest if I went.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right, that is exactly why this channel you're now watching is so important. Why? Not just this show. We are the only news outlet in the country that is even willing to give this president just a fair shake.

Now, after almost 100 days in office, here's what we know for certain. The Democrats, the destroy Trump media -- they will do anything they deem necessary to try and damage this president and presidency. Their goal is simple. They want him out of office, and they won't stop until that day comes and that happens.

They also want to destroy anyone and everyone that works for him or dares to support him. They've even attacked his wife, his daughter, his 10-year- old child. Now, that obviously creates a huge challenge for the president.

But here's what really matters tonight. President Trump -- he's been keeping his promises to you, the American people, and checking off his list. And according to a brand-new Washington Post/ABC News poll, 96 percent of the people who voted for President Trump -- they say it was the right thing to do.

Democrats, liberal snowflakes, the propaganda media -- they can criticize the president all they want. But that right there proves that President Trump is doing exactly what he promised he would do, which is refreshing to you, the American people. It's also why this president is confident in what he has accomplished so far.

Now, here's what the president told our own Martha MacCallum earlier today about his first 100 days. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think we're doing tremendously well. I don't think anybody has ever done this much in 100 days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: In my opinion, the president should be happy with what he has accomplished so far because he's done it without any, zero help from Congress! Now, the Democrats in Congress -- they've shown they aren't going to cross over the political aisle to work with this president regardless of what he proposes.

Congressional Republican leaders, as well -- they clearly, pathetically were not ready to govern even though they asked for the House in 2010, the Senate in 2014, and the White House in 2016. Well, some of them did. Some of them didn't support then candidate, now President Trump.

Now, just look at the effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. This is pathetic. For nearly eight years, Republicans said they would put an end to ObamaCare. But they were not ready to go. They didn't build a consensus bill. Nobody even saw the bill before they released it. So the process is taking such a longer period than it otherwise should have.

That doesn't mean it won't get done because, as we've seen over the first 99 days, the president intends to keep the promises he made to you, the American people. So that is the first 100 days that your mainstream alt radical left media will never tell you because they're biased, abusively so. As I've said many times on this program, journalism is dead. Now, they're in full destroy Trump mode, and I don't trust them and nor should you.

Anyway, thank you for your support with us every night.

Now, coming up, more with the breaking news, North Korea test fires a ballistic missile. We get reaction from Dr. Sebastian Gorka straight ahead.

And then later tonight--

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was thinking more of a creature that stalked the night, that these things just came out at night like a vampire and tweet us these things. But now it's spread to the morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The vampire, the left has been losing it since the day the day that President Trump was sworn into office. We will explain. We'll get reaction tonight from Geraldo Rivera and Larry Elder. And the NRA's Wayne LaPierre is here tonight.

That's all coming up on this busy Friday news night.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: And welcome back to "Hannity," and this is a "Fox News Alert." Earlier today, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile. According to the U.S. military, the missile was in the air for about 15 minutes, traveled about 25 miles, and once again, it failed. It broke up over the Korean peninsula, making it another huge failure.

Earlier today, before this test, the secretary of state, Rex Tillerson was at the U.N. calling for sanctions against North Korea. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REX TILLERSON, SECRETARY OF STATE: The threat of a North Korean nuclear attack on Seoul or Tokyo is real. And it is likely only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the U.S. mainland.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: And yesterday during an interview with Reuters, the president said this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

TRUMP: There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea. Absolutely.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HANNITY: Joining us with reaction is the deputy assistant to the president, Dr. Sebastian Gorka. Dr. Gorka, good to see you again. Let's talk about the president's comments. A good chance we could, in fact, have this conflict with North Korea.

Your advice especially -- look, we know they have nuclear weapons. We know they don't have ICBM capability. They want it. That means they would reach the continental United States. But in the interim, they certainly can reach China and South Korea and Japan, a real, clear present danger to that region of the world.

SEBASTIAN GORKA, DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT: Sean, this is a rogue regime. It is a pariah. It is more Stalinist than Josef Stalin's own Soviet Union. The NSC, the White House is aware of what happened and the president has been informed.

As you stated, we are not surprised that the new test occurred, but nor are we surprised that it was failure. Nevertheless, despite it being an embarrassing failure, the reality is, it demonstrates intent.

When you are looking at any potential threat, whether it's somebody who wants to commit murder or whether it's a nation that wants to go to war, you look at two things, Sean. You look at capability and you look at intent. North Korea has both capability and intent to destabilize. And you heard Secretary Tillerson. You've heard the statements of the president. We will not let this unfold in to something that can harm our friends or Americans!

HANNITY: It can't and it's more difficult, and we ought to learn this lesson as it relates to the Iranians and their pursuit of nuclear weapons. Now that they have nuclear weapons, by the way, Bill Clinton assured us they'd never get them and as he gave away $4 billion in taxpayer money, he assured us that wasn't going to happen. It happened. Capitulation doesn't work. It never will.

But what's scary is now that they have nuclear weapons, it makes it militarily that much more difficult. What are the potential options to deal with a nuclear-armed North Korea and prevent them from getting ICBM capability, knowing that this, you know, chubby despot might fire off a missile that could be blown up in the region?

GORKA: You're completely correct. Capitulation never works. You never, never trust a dictator, whether it was Hitler in 1938 in Munich, whether it was the Soviets, whether it was Saddam Hussein or whether it's this individual. So Reagan was right. You have to verify everything.

What are our options? Well, this president understands better than almost than anybody else why we have a huge range of options and what we can do to use them. And we don't talk about our game plan. And we don't say, Let's just have some kind of meeting in Geneva or in Vienna with our diplomats. That's how we got to the disastrous situation with the JCPOA and Iran deal.

Look at what's happened with the last failed test before this one. You don't necessarily have to go to full-out war. There are things we can do to undermine the regime. And don't forget, 70, 80 percent of the economy, of the exports that go into North Korea come from China, and look what happened at Mar-a-Lago.

HANNITY: Well, I want to--

GORKA: The president -- the president connected with Xi Jinping.

HANNITY: That to me was the most underreported story. Now, correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding was the president was supposed to meet with the president of China at Mar-a-Lago for two separate sessions, maybe a half hour, 45 minutes each.

GORKA: Right.

HANNITY: They both went beyond four hours, is my understanding, and they got along famously. And it was during dessert that the president told the president of China that, in fact, he had launched 59 Tomahawk missiles as it relates to Syria and the use of chemical weapons.

Then, when he goes back to China, he puts 175,000 troops on the border. And then he sent North Korean coal back and imported American coal. And we have a Chinese state-run tabloid, well known to be a mouthpiece of the communist regime in China -- they actually go as far as to warn North Korea that another provocative move -- this was before today -- the Chinese society (ph) will be willing to see the U.N. Security Council adopt more restrictive measures that have never been seen before, such as restricting oil imports from the North.

But you know, this -- you know, Kim Jong-un is willing to do this anyway in spite of that China alliance with Trump. Is this guy just crazy, or is he just underestimating?

GORKA: Look, the president is not a politician. He's a results-driven businessman. He is an -- he was successful. Not just successful, he was incredibly successful in the hardest market in the world, New York real estate. As a result, he looks at the world as it is and he's interested in results.

And he knows some issues require kid gloves because they're sensitive. But sometimes, you have to make a fist inside that kid glove and you have to use it. The MOAB bomb, the 59 cruise missiles -- they're not just about Afghanistan. They're not just have about Syria.

The premier in Beijing understood that and he changed his stance. Even Vladimir Putin said, I'm not going to meet with your secretary, then he changed his mind. That's thanks to Donald J. Trump.

HANNITY: Dr. Gorka, we always appreciate you being on. By the way, I know the left is attacking you, too. But they're also attacking the president's wife, his daughter and his 10-year-old son, so--

GORKA: And you.

HANNITY: -- hang in there. I know -- oh, yes, I got to -- but I've been attacked for 30 years. I'm used to it. But I know he -- I know you have his full support. Thank you for being with us tonight. We appreciate it.

And up next tonight right here on "Hannity"--

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Republican leaders and President Trump don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about the people they were trying to hurt!

REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIFORNIA: I will fight every day until he is impeached! Impeach 45! Impeach 45!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Loony Democrats stooping to new lows during the president's first 100 days. When we come back, we'll play you the lowlights of this liberal lunacy and get reaction from Larry Elder and Geraldo Rivera.

Also on this busy Friday news night--

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The eight-year assault on your 2nd Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end!

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: That was President Trump earlier today addressing the NRA, the first sitting president to do so in over three decades since Ronald Reagan. Later tonight, the NRA's chief executive officer, Wayne LaPierre, on this historic speech.

And Jay Sekulow, Michael Cohen weigh in on the left's assault on freedom of speech, and of course, liberal fascism.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

HANNITY: And welcome back to "Hannity." So this Saturday marks 100 days in office for President Trump. And while the 45th president has accumulated a record number of accomplishments, in the face, by the way, of some pretty difficult, tough odds. well, Democrats, now the party of obstruction, have been in complete disarray.

Now, in case you missed it, here are some of the lowlights from the Democrats, their 100-day meltdown, we call it. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY, MINORITY LEADER: This executive order was mean- spirited and un-American.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These Republican leaders and President Trump don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about the people they were trying to hurt!

WATERS: I will fight every day until he is impeached! Impeach 45! Impeach 45!

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a bunch of scumbags. That's what they are--

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those are very strong words, Congressman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- who are all organized around making money.

PELOSI: We've seen nothing that we can work -- that I can work with President Bush (sic) on. I'm trying really hard to find something positive. This morning, he had three tweets. I was thinking he was more of a creature that stalked the night, that these things just came out at night, like a vampire. (INAUDIBLE) these things. But now it's spread to the morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Joining us now, Salem radio nationally syndicated host Larry Elder, Fox News correspondent, he's laughing, I think that's you, Geraldo Rivera.

GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: We both are.

HANNITY: Geraldo, you, seriously, you always come on this program, and you are one of my dearest friends, and you always say, oh, President Trump needs to a, b, c, and d. What about you taking on some liberals that you know? You know, crocodile tears Schumer and all these people, all the vitriol, the hatred, the mean-spirited, the obstruction that has been thrown in Trump's direction. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I never hear you attack them.

GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: I don't think that's fair, Sean. For all love I have for you, my brother, I think that if you look back on what Mitch McConnell, how he behaved, how the Republicans behaved during Obama's eight years in office, you see a direct parallel. This is tit-for-tat. The Republicans were the party of obstruction. Now the Democrats are the party of obstruction. What I would like to see.

HANNITY: Geraldo, wait a minute though, in fairness.

RIVERA: One second. I would like to see Chuck Schumer and President Trump put on hazmat suits if they have to, meet privately if they have to, and try to find common ground for the good of the American people.

HANNITY: We've got to call it the "Geraldo hazmat suit beer summit." Maybe you will have to broker it. We will send you and Bo in together.

Larry, the important part is we have never had for partisan reasons a Supreme Court justice that wasn't given an up or down vote. The Democrats did that. You know, Republicans they play fair. Elena Kagan vote, Sonia Sotomayor, vote. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, all leftists, liberal --

RIVERA: Merrick Garland. Merrick Garland. Tit-for-tat.

HANNITY: Chuck Schumer sad don't vote in the final year of a presidency. OK, we're going to sing to each other now? Larry?

LARRY ELDER, SALEM RADIO NATIONAL SYNDICATED HOST: Well, Republicans opposed Obama, Geraldo, for policy reasons. You didn't find Republicans, for example, calling top Obama advisors a Nazi the way Howard Dean called Steve Bannon. You didn't have people calling his cabinet appointees scumbags the way Maxine Waters has. You haven't seen this kind of attack against Barack Obama personally like this, Nazi homophobe, xenophobe.

RIVERA: You have a very short memory, Larry. You have a very short memory.

ELDER: This is insane.

RIVERA: Maxine Waters is the Steve king of the Democrats.

HANNITY: One at a time, guys.

ELDER: I sat next to Geraldo in Cleveland. Geraldo, remember we saw Trump's speech. Geraldo is very rational off camera. Put him in front of the camera he becomes Cujo.

RIVERA: I am a Republican. And if Donald Trump, listen, I have known him for 40 years. I want him to succeed with all my vim and vigor.

HANNITY: That's true.

RIVERA: This president can be a great man. But he has to reach across the aisle. He can't get all Republicans to be in the same camp for Obamacare, for example. If you can't have your own caucus united, how do --

HANNITY: That's Paul Ryan's fault.

RIVERA: That very well may be.

ELDER: That's not fair. Donald Trump is a populist on many issues. He is a centrist on many issues. For crying out loud he said same sex marriage is settled law. Ivanka says she wants six weeks paid maternity leave. He reiterated that. During the debate he was asked to name the three functions of government, he said national security, which is right, but then he said healthcare and education which Ronald Reagan never would have said. So this guy is very close to the way a lot of people on the left are to a degree that I haven't seen in a Republican president in many years. Yet you guys hate this man. It's amazing.

RIVERA: I was with Sean, bursting with pride to see my almost lifelong friend become the 45th president of the United States on inauguration day. The speech that I wanted to hear was come on, let's get together. Let's get past this eight years of partisan divide. Let's make this country great again by working together. Instead, the speech that I heard was us against them. It was the campaign continuing. Now, I want Donald Trump to be the way he was with Syria, the way he was in Afghanistan, the way --

HANNITY: What grade would you give him for the first 100 days, what grade?

RIVERA: In terms of the economy I have made a fortune since November 8th I give him an A. In terms of world affairs --

HANNITY: I have made fortune. It's all about you. It's all about you, Geraldo.

RIVERA: A rising tide lifts all boats, even my modest craft.

HANNITY: OK.

RIVERA: But I think in terms of the refugee ban and immigration and some of the division that has been forced in this country, I think Donald Trump really gets a C. He needs to improve. He needs to have that moderate tone, not the anger, not the us against them.

HANNITY: I have got to roll, guys. You are both phenomenal. Have a great weekend.

RIVERA: Have great weekend.

HANNITY: Coming up, free speech under assault in America. And now the New York Times is actually blaming conservatives for the brutal attacks from the left. We'll get reaction, an explanation from Jay Sekulow and Michael Cohen. That's next. And later tonight --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: As your president, I will never ever infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, never, ever.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: President Trump spoke to the NRA earlier today. He is the first sitting president to do so since Ronald Wilson Reagan. Later Tonight Wayne LaPierre joins us with reaction and more on this busy news night Friday straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." So once again the alt radical left is going after Republicans and freedom of speech. A "New York Times" columnist is even apparently blaming conservatives like Ann Coulter for the brutal attacks coming from the left. Now, Jeremy Peters wrote, quote, "Across the country conservatives like her are eagerly throwing themselves into volatile situations like the one in Berkeley emboldened by a backlash over what many Americans sees as excessive political correctness, a president who has gleefully taken up their fight and liberals they accuse of trying to censor any idea they disagree with."

Joining us now with reaction from the American Center for Law and Justice Jay Sekulow, the national deputy chairman of the RNC finance leadership team, personal attorney to President Trump, Michael Cohen. Good to see you both.

JAY SEKULOW, AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE: Hi, Sean.

HANNITY: Jay, let me start here. I have spent a lot of time this week on this Coulter situation, campuses all across the country. The fact that conservatives, every word is monitored, every second of every day on Fox, on talk radio. I really believe this is liberal fascism and no prominent liberal ever speaks up and defends the right of conservatives to express their views.

SEKULOW: Well, you are exactly correct. If you take the university campus, that's supposed to be uniquely the marketplace of ideas. And the price of freedom is in a free country you are going to hear speech you disagree with. But you don't respond with violence or shutting the speech down. You respond to it with more speech.

So that's the idea, that's the entire basis on which our constitutional Republican exists, this idea of free discourse, freedom of speech. But those that are opposed to a particular view are engaging in classic censorship. I have been arguing those cases, Sean, at the Supreme Court for three decades, this idea you can target a particular view for censorship. And the Supreme Court has always, unanimously right and left said you don't do that in free speech areas.

HANNITY: It is interesting, on the other hand, Michael, that is, all right, you represent on a personal level the president of the United States, you work for the Trump organization. And what is amazing is they want is the right to say any and everything about the man you know and have known for decades.

MICHAEL COHEN, PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes. And Sean, unfortunately, the First Amendment applies to fools and sleazy people. And you know, people like Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi have to understand that while they are protecting their First Amendment rights to say whatever they want, they have to understand that the other side has First Amendment rights as well. And their rights don't trump, for lack of a better word, the other side.

What happened at Berkeley is a disgrace. The people, the administration at Berkeley should be ashamed of themselves, and so should the students for that matter.

HANNITY: And this is the thing, there is nobody, Jay, on the left. I have a couple of friends on the left that said I'm right about this. Maybe they think -- maybe they believe it, but the fact that they don't stand up for Ann Coulter.

Now, I will give you an example. I have said many times on this program I think Bill Maher is a slob. I can't stand the guy. I think he is horrible on TV. He is arrogant. He's elitist. He's condescending. But, in a weird way, good for America because if he can say all that crap on the left that he says then maybe the left won't go after conservatives and try to shut them down like they are presently trying to demolish and shut down the Fox News Channel.

SEKULOW: Well, can you fundamentally disagree with someone on both a practical level and a policy level and fundamentally disagree. And you may not agree with Bill Maher. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have the right to speak. Just like you have the right to speak and others have the right to speak.

And this idea that we're now going to enter into this sanitized version of free speech so that if someone is personally offended by a message they can censor that message. You know, this idea that the offended observer, someone that hears something they disagree with, can run to the police department of their school and say arrest that person or shut them down, I'm offended by that speech.

HANNITY: There is another way, too.

SEKULOW: How much danger we are in.

HANNITY: But then they have the boycott thing that they do. So people are paid. This is well-funded, well-organized, to monitor every word that I say on radio and TV every day. And then if I say one thing out of place that they disagree with, politically incorrect, then they will just say, oh, let's start an advertising boycott, and that's just another background way to --

COHEN: You know what, Sean, as per the president, just because they have the First Amendment right to say what it is they want doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Parents are always telling their children just because you have the right to say something doesn't mean that you should, and a little censorship goes a long way. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be happening and it's not something that the left wants as it relates to President Trump. Everything that he does, everything that he says comes in with scrutiny. The scrutiny is most of the time --

HANNITY: It warped.

COHEN: It's obnoxious, it's rude, and worse than that, it's offensive to the office of the presidency. And they need to stop.

HANNITY: That's a great point.

COHEN: They just need to stop.

HANNITY: They're not going to stop. They're not going to stop. Jay, where does this end? We have got to take a break.

SEKULOW: Well, the fact is that self-censorship is one thing. You can decide I'm going to stop saying something, but that doesn't give the other person the right to stop speaking. Where does it end? Unless people stand up and fight for that free speech right enshrined in the constitution, we lose it. We either protect it or we lose it. It's that simple.

COHEN: Except also when President Trump turns around and you start to look at the accomplishment that he's going to be rolling out day after day, week after week, year after year. And then people start to see with more money in their pockets, with jobs, you see national security, our military, our veterans taken care of. They can start to understand that he is the man that he -- that we all know him to be. And then they will feel ashamed of themselves.

HANNITY: I'm not so sure they are ever going to feel ashamed of themselves, Michael. I wish that were true. You're assuming that --- I believe that the left has become so unhinged. They never saw this coming. They don't understand him. And they are in a complete meltdown mode and anything goes for them, meaning saying anything.

SEKULOW: They're stopping other people from speaking. They are stopping other people from speaking.

COHEN: Ultimately they are going to understand that he is going to bring success and he is going to make America great. And they are going to feel it in their pockets.

HANNITY: Liberal fascism is alive and well. There are groups of people, they will take everyone, every single conservative out in the meantime. Anybody around the president that supports the president.

COHEN: Look at me. Look how they attack me on a day-by-day basis.

HANNITY: That's true, or me or Jay or anybody. Anybody who supports the president is getting hit, and even his own 10-year-old son and his daughter and his wife. It's ridiculous.

COHEN: True. Have a good one.

HANNITY: Up next tonight right here on "Hannity."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The eight year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: President Trump addressing the NRA earlier today. He is the first sitting president to do this in more than three decades. Up next we have reaction from the NRA's Wayne LaPierre as we continue this busy Friday news night. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." So earlier today President Trump traveled to Atlanta and addressed the National Rifle Association's annual meeting. Now President Trump's speech is the first time a sitting president spoke at the NRA since Ronald Reagan addressed the group in 1983. Here are some of the highlights from earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have news that you've been waiting for for a long time. The eight year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: You have a true friend and champion in the White House. No longer will federal agencies be coming after law abiding gun owners.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: So let me make a simple promise to every one of the freedom-loving Americans in the audience today. As your president, I will never ever infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, never, ever.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Freedom is not a gift from government. Freedom is a gift from God.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: And joining us now is the NRA executive vice president, CEO, Wayne LaPierre. That was about as powerful a speech and statement that I have ever heard from any president, including Ronald Reagan on the Second Amendment. Your reaction?

WAYNE LAPIERRE, NRA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CEO: You know, Sean, I was listening to it and I was thinking the exact same thing. I was thinking oh, my gosh. This is a president that really understands what makes America unique are those freedoms that we have in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That's what makes our country different from every other country in the world.

And at the same time listening to him, it's a president that understands when there is evil at the door, you don't disarm the law abiding. The Second Amendment is a strength, not a weakness. He really gets that it's evil people and is proposing a novel concept of, hey, let's go after the bad guys and leave all the good people alone.

HANNITY: It's actually very refreshing. Think the first time since Ronald Reagan did this in 1983. But, you also, as a group, endorsed him earlier than you had previous candidates. What made you so certain? And, by the way, you can check this off. Trump made another promise, one of the things that I think really defines his first 100 days is keeping his word on so many issues, big issues. Why were you so confident early on that he would keep his promise when others were doubting, fellow conservatives were doubting?

LAPIERRE: You know, we're a grassroots organization, and I kept out there all over the country I kept going what do you think? And people kept looking their head I have never worried about this country until now. And I would say what do you think? And they would go Trump.

And I always thought this election was about hope and about someone that had to change the status quo, and here was somebody willing to put everything aside and go out there and take tremendous courage and, you know, go out and fight to save this country.

And Hillary Clinton would have been catastrophic to the Second Amendment. The Supreme Court, as an individual right with her appointments would have eliminated the Second Amendment as an individual right. And, my gosh, look at the change. I mean, Judge Gorsuch now, it's all the difference in the world.

I see a tremendous pride wave out there in the heartland of the country with this president, Donald Trump, and the fact that he is will to fight. But I also see people that are very clear-eyed about what they are facing. I mean, they understand there are leftist organizations and elite media that want to wreck this president. And they understand that we have to have this president's back.

I see the media out there putting out a narrative every day and then going and trying to market it as truth when most of the time it's completely inaccurate. And this is a battle and we have got to have this president's back. He has to succeed and we have to help him.

HANNITY: He was also right about one other thing, and that was that, yes, there has been an assault on the Second Amendment now going on for a long time. And they don't understand what most of us that are pro-Second Amendment are trained and believe in the safety and the safe use and the safe storage of firearms. And a lot on the left don't understand it.

Wayne, great day for your group. Thanks for being with us.

LAPIERRE: Thanks, Sean, for having me.

HANNITY: You are very welcome. And coming up tonight, we need your help. A very important "Question of the Day" as we continue this Friday edition of "Hannity."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. It's time for "Question of the Day." So what do you think is the president's biggest accomplishment in his first 100 days? We want to hear from you. Go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.

Can't believe, what a week. It was so slow news-wise. That's all the time we have left this evening. Thank you for being with us. Don't forget, set your DVR so you never miss an episode. Have a great weekend. We will see you back here Monday night.

END

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