Quote Originally Posted by Ash View Post
Here's my understanding:

She doesn't assert, as Burney said, she suspects.

What does she suspect? First of all she suspects that Trump did say that Pence "wanted to hang them all". This is her opinion (not a fact). If Trump did say that then all it says is that Trump is more liberal about gays than Pence.

Secondly (removing the sub-clause) she "suspects ... that he (Trump) would happily preside over televised hangings of gay people if he thought it would get him good ratings."

So she's gone from using a rumour about Trump either joking or believing that Pence is highly illiberal about gays to suspecting that Trump is basically ok with hanging gay people.

That's only a notch or two down from assert, isn't it?
I think what she actually says he will do anything to get ratings - hardly a massive slight on a man so obsessed with his own image - which is why removing that phrase completely changes the meaning