President Donald Trump commended a Montana congressman for physically assaulting a reporter last year.
"Any guy who can do a body slam, he's my guy!" Trump said.
During a rally in Montana Thursday, Trump praised Rep. Greg Gianforte for "body slamming" a Guardian reporter at a campaign event.
"But Greg is smart and, by the way, never wrestle him, you understand that, never," Trump said.
The editor for the Guardian U.S. responded to Trump's comments in a statement, saying: "To celebrate an attack on a journalist who was simply doing his job is an attack on the first amendment by someone who has taken an oath to defend it."
Not long after the May 2017 incident, Gianforte was sentenced to community service and 20 hours of anger management courses after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. He formally apologized to the reporter and promised to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Gianforte is running for re-election this year.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
