Donald Trump has warned there will be "violence" if his Republican Party lose November's midterm elections. Speaking to evangelical leaders in a private meeting, the US president called the vote, a “referendum” on free speech and religious freedoms, warning the rights of Americans were under threat from “violent people”. Mid-term elections are seen as a key test of a president’s popularity. All 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the 100-member Senate are up for election, along with 36 out of 50 state governors and numerous state and local government offices. The result of this year's vote are keenly anticipated after Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former lawyer, and Paul Manafort, his ex-campaign chairman, were convicted of financial crimes earlier this month. “This November 6 election is very much a referendum on not only me, it’s a referendum on your religion, it’s a referendum on free speech and the first amendment. It’s a referendum on so much,” Mr Trump said in a speech leaked to US media. “It’s not a question of like or dislike, it’s a question that they will overturn everything that we’ve done and they will do it quickly and violently. And violently. There is violence. When you look at Antifa, these are violent people.” Antifa, or anti-fascists, regularly stage counter protests against white supremacists and neo-nazis when they march through American towns and cities. Mr Trump has come under fire for blaming last year's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia on “both sides”. The rally attracted national attention after 32-year-old Heather Heyer was killed when a car ploughed through a crowd of counter-protesters. James Alex Fields has been charged in connection with her death. President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Show all 16 1 /16 President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "You are fake news!" Then President-elect Trump directed this insult to CNN's Jim Acosta while refusing him a question at a press conference on January 11 2017. The President-elect's anger was due to the publishing by Buzzfeed of unverified memos that implicated Michael Cohen in Russian collusion. CNN had reported on a briefing of Obama and Trump on the memos by US intelligence chiefs, but knowing the content to be unverified had not revealed it AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth" President Trump said this of journalists during a visit to the CIA on the the day following his inauguration. His claim of having the largest crowd of any inauguration ceremony in history had been debunked and he clearly wasn't happy Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Failing New York Times" President Trump commonly addresses the New York Times in this way, contrary to its increasing profit margins and expanding global readership. He is pictured here in the midtown Manhattan office of the paper Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "Enemy of the American People" President Trump has since repeated the claim that such news outlets are the enemy of the people, often after they break negative stories about him President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "They have no sources" Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 24 2017, President Trump suggested that a Washington Post article with 9 sources was "made up". The article in question exposed how then National Security Advisor Michael Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence over a phone call to a Russian ambassador. That the article was "made up", while highly doubtful at the time, seems even less likely since Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the same phone call Reuters President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media Access denied for major publications Protesters gathered outside of the New York Times office after Trump's White House barred a number of publications from attending a press briefing on February 24 2017. Just hours after the President had again denounced the media, then Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied access to news outlets such as CNN and the New York Times, while permitting Breitbart News, CBS, Fox and others AFP/Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "#FNN" On July 2 2017, President Trump tweeted an edited clip from his Wrestlemania XXIII appearance in which the CNN logo had been imposed onto the face of his wrestling opponent Vince McMahon. CNN is a common target for President Trump and here he suggests that he is getting the better of the network through his repeated attacks President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "The most powerful TV show in America" On July 27 2017, President Trump quoted a New York Times article about Fox & Friends. The President is known to watch Fox & Friends every morning, often tweeting about matters discussed on the show, leading to speculation over its influence on his outlook and policies Getty President Trump's most shocking attacks on the media "It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write" In a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on October 11 2017, President Trump suggested that the press ought not to be allowed their constitutionally secured freedom. He added "people should look into it", suggesting that he also doesn't respect the protection of sources.<doc-sep>President Donald Trump on Monday night reportedly told evangelical Christian leaders there would be "violence" if Republicans lost their majority in Congress as a result of November's midterm elections. "You're one election away from losing everything that you've got," Trump said, according to the report. If Republicans did lose big to Democrats, Trump said, "They will overturn everything that we've done and they'll do it quickly and violently, and violently." President Donald Trump on Monday night reportedly told evangelical Christian leaders there would be "violence" if Republicans lost their majority in Congress as a result of November's midterm elections. Trump suggested Democrats would "quickly" and "violently" overturn gains he's made for conservative Christians, according to excerpts of the closed-door meeting obtained by NBC News. "You're one election away from losing everything that you've got," Trump said, according to the NBC News report. "The level of hatred, the level of anger is unbelievable." Trump apparently went on to say that the midterm elections were not only a referendum on him. If Republicans were to lose big to Democrats, Trump reportedly said: "They will overturn everything that we've done and they'll do it quickly and violently, and violently. There's violence. When you look at Antifa and you look at some of these groups — these are violent people." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. During Monday's meeting, Trump also reportedly repeated a previously debunked claim that he'd gotten rid of a law that prohibits churches and charitable organizations from endorsing political candidates. Presidents do not have the constitutional authority to repeal laws. Trump was apparently referencing what is known as the Johnson Amendment. In May, Trump signed an executive order aimed at undermining the law, but legal experts have said say the executive step was largely symbolic. Efforts to kill the law in Congress have stalled.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — President Trump warned evangelical leaders Monday night that Democrats “will overturn everything that we’ve done and they’ll do it quickly and violently” if Republicans lose control of Congress in the midterm elections. Speaking to the group in the State Dining Room of the White House, Mr. Trump painted a stark picture of what losing the majority would mean for the administration’s conservative agenda, according to an audiotape of his remarks provided to The New York Times by someone who attended the event. “They will end everything immediately,” Mr. Trump said. “When you look at antifa,” he added, a term that describes militant leftist groups, “and you look at some of these groups, these are violent people.” A White House spokesman, Hogan Gidley, declined to elaborate on what the president meant. The blunt warning — delivered to about 100 of the president’s most ardent supporters in the evangelical community — was the latest example of Mr. Trump’s attempts to use the specter of violence at the hands of his political opponents and to fan the flames of cultural divisions in the country.<doc-sep>"It's not a question of like or dislike, it's a question that they will overturn everything that we've done and they will do it quickly and violently. And violently. There is violence. When you look at Antifa - these are violent people," he said.<doc-sep>
President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE reportedly told evangelical leaders at the White House on Monday that Republican losses in this year's midterms will lead to liberals "violently" overturning his administration's accomplishments for the Christian community. "This Nov. 6 election is very much a referendum on not only me, it's a referendum on your religion, it's a referendum on free speech and the First Amendment," Trump said during a private portion of an event in the State Dining Room, according to recorded excerpts obtained by NBC News. He added that there is an "unbelievable" amount of hatred and anger "for you and for me and for my family," partly because of what he's accomplished. ADVERTISEMENT If the GOP loses control of Congress, he warned, "they will overturn everything that we've done and they'll do it quickly and violently, and violently." It's unclear who specifically Trump was referring to. "There's violence. When you look at Antifa and you look at some of these groups — these are violent people," he said. Trump and other Republicans have frequently tried to connect liberals to the far-left group of anti-fascists known as Antifa, which has been responsible for violence and escalated tensions at various rallies around the country. Republicans are hoping to stave off Democratic efforts to retake control of the House and Senate. A RealClearPolitics average of polls shows Democrats with a nearly 7-point advantage on the generic ballot. Trump noted his administration's efforts to protect religious freedom and to promote prison reform, and touted the economy's performance during remarks that were open to the press. He also acknowledged Sunday's shooting in Jacksonville, Fla., and the death of Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainHannity tells Santorum he helped prevent Joy Reid from being fired Richard Hanania sees Trump as 2024 GOP nominee Why Republican politicians are sticking with Trump MORE (R-Ariz.).