Mother of Benghazi victim at GOP convention: 'Hillary for prison'

Pat Smith blames Hillary Clinton for the death of her son in Benghazi at RNC

(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

published 19 July 2016

The theme of Monday's Republican National Convention is "Keep America Safe," with a large section focused on Benghazi. That part kicked off with Pat Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, one of four Americans killed in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. Smith placed the responsibility for the attack squarely on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Democratic rival. "I blame Hillary Clinton. I blame Hillary Clinton personally for the death of my son," she said. "She lied to me and then called me a liar."

"Donald Trump is everything Hillary Clinton is not," Smith said. "He is blunt, direct, and strong." Trump "will not hesitate to kill the terrorists who threaten American lives," she added. And prompted by someone in the crowd, Smith improvised: "That's right — Hillary for prison. She deserves to be in stripes."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.