Donald Trump Jr. came to his youngest brother's defense Wednesday when he labeled actor Peter Fonda a "coward" and "sick individual" for his call to have Barron Trump ripped from the arms of first lady Melania Trump.
Fonda, who has since removed the tweet from his account, claimed taking the president's youngest child away from his mother would be the way for the administration to understand the trauma inflicted on migrant families. The 78-year-old also said Barron Trump should be put in a cage with pedophiles.
Trump Jr. took to Twitter and blasted the Oscar-nominated actor, as did numerous others.
"You're clearly a sick individual and everyone is an internet badass but rather than attack an 11-year-old like a bully and a coward why don't you pick on someone a bit bigger. LMK," Trump Jr. tweeted in response to Fonda.
You’re clearly a sick individual and everyone is an internet badass but rather than attack an 11 year old like a bully and a coward why don’t you pick on someone a bit bigger. LMK. https://t.co/8OhiQ0aZmO
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 20, 2018
Trump Jr. also lashed out at Sony Pictures for its "silence" following Fonda's incendiary Twitter barrage.
"And another... now Fonda is targeting the kids of Law Enforcement. Hey @SonyPictures are you just going to sit back and let this & his child rape fantasies go? Your silence almost reads like you're ok with it. Please clarify as I've heard you have a movie with him dropping soon," Trump Jr. said.
And another... now Fonda is targeting the kids of Law Enforcment. Hey @SonyPictures are you just going to sit back and let this & his child rape fantasies go? Your silence almost reads like you’re ok with it. Please clarify as I’ve heard you have a movie with him dropping soon https://t.co/qgKzFUNijV
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 20, 2018
Fonda has a role in the film studio's upcoming Boundaries, which is scheduled for release Friday.
Fonda's tweets also included insults towards White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, as well misogynistic terms. The actor also removed the tweets pertaining to Sanders and Nielsen.
The Secret Service was also reportedly contacted by Melania Trump in response to Fonda's tweet.
"The tweet is sick and irresponsible and USSS has been notified," the spokesperson for the first lady, Stephanie Grisham, told The Daily Caller.
The Secret Service confirmed it was "aware" of Fonda's tweet, but stated it does comment on anything "involving protective intelligence."
"The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the tweet made by Mr. Fonda. As a matter of practice, we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence," a service spokesperson told Newsweek in an email message.
Fonda could find himself in similar territory as comedian Kathy Griffin. Last year, Griffin posed for pictures that included her holding the decapitated head of President Donald Trump. She was later reportedly subjected to questioning by the service for over an hour, and received widespread public ridicule for the graphic image.
