In a scathing criticism, Sarah Matthews, a former White House deputy press secretary under Donald Trump, condemned the former president for his remarks about President Joe Biden at the National Rifle Association (NRA) Convention in Dallas on Saturday. Trump claimed that if President Biden were a Republican, he would have been given the electric chair, stating that Biden is a "Manchurian candidate," controlled by a foreign adversary.

Matthews, who now co-hosts MSNBC's The Weekend, highlighted Trump's use of such rhetoric to rile up his loyal base. She expressed her concern over Trump's joke about executing the sitting U.S. president, stating that it is not normal for a presidential candidate to make such remarks. She also criticized the normalization of Trump's rhetoric, with some Americans becoming conditioned to his inflammatory comments.

This is not the first time Trump has made "electric chair" remarks about his political adversaries. In 2022, he made similar comments, stating that he would face the electric chair if he were accused of the same corruption allegations as President Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, questioned the signaling behind Trump's comments while addressing the NRA, suggesting that they were meant to appeal to the group's strong views against the Biden administration and Trump himself.

The NRA officially endorsed Trump moments before he took the stage at the convention. As Trump prepares for his rematch with Biden in November, recent polling suggests a close race between the two candidates. However, Trump faces a unique situation as he becomes the first former president in U.S. history to stand trial in a criminal case. The trial, in which he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, continues on Monday.

Trump has consistently maintained his innocence, characterizing the charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and others as politically motivated.

It remains to be seen how these remarks and ongoing legal challenges will impact Trump's campaign for the 2024 presidential election.