Although it is predictable, and in fact was As expected, Trump has once again taken control of the Republican Party and continues to feel completely at ease using threats of unrest and violence as a political bargaining chip.
The most recent example: In his first interview since being convicted of 34 felony counts in Manhattan last weekend, Trump said of the possibility of being jailed or placed under house arrest, “I don’t know if the American people can stand that.”
“It’s going to be unacceptable to the American people,” Trump told Fox News. “At some point there’s going to be a breaking point.”
This is typical Trump: He’s not outright advocating mayhem. Mention In this case, no anxiety arises, but he is hinting that something very bad will happen soon if he does not get what he wants.
And as with the recent “bloody” remarks, the point is not that this is a particularly egregious example of a dog whistle against his supporters, but that it is merely the latest in a long line of suggestive statements. Context matters, and the track record is undeniable.
Trump wants his opponents to worry that things will get worse, and to change their behavior accordingly. The problem is that his supporters may interpret his rhetoric as a call to action (and, crucially, his rhetoric is rarely accompanied by an exhortation to remain peaceful).
Let’s summarise that long line.
March 2016 (Republican nomination denial threat)
“I think so. I think there will be riots. … I think there will be problems like we’ve never seen before. I think bad things will happen. I really do. I believe so. I’m not leading the charge, but I think bad things will happen.”
August 2016 (Warning about Hillary Clinton’s judge picks)
“If she handpicks the judges herself, there’s nothing you can do. But maybe there are people who support the Second Amendment. I don’t know.”
“I’ve got the support of the police, I’ve got the support of the military, I’ve got the support of the bikers for Trump. I’ve got people who are bullish, but they’re not going to be bullish, not until it gets to a certain level. And then it gets very, very bad.”
In the midst of racial justice protests, a supporter tweeted a video of himself saying, “The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” (The supporter clarified that he did not mean it literally.) The next day, Twitter responded with,When the looting starts, the shooting starts. “
September 2020 (when asked to condemn white supremacist and militia groups threatening violence)
“Proud Boys stand back and stand by, but somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left.” (The Proud Boys later led the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and several members were convicted of sedition and conspiracy.)
November 2020 (responding to an adverse ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court)
“The Supreme Court’s decision on Pennsylvania voting is extremely dangerous. It will allow rampant fraud to go unchecked and will destroy our entire legal system. It will also incite violence in the streets. Something must be done!”
August 2022 (After the Mar-a-Lago Search)
“People are so angry about what’s going on, and we’re going to do whatever we can to get the temperature down in this country, because if we don’t, terrible things are going to happen.” (Even conservative hosts on Fox News were skeptical that Trump was actually interested in turning down the temperature.)
February 2023 (Debate continues over whether President Trump should be disqualified from holding the presidency)
Those who support disqualification say, “We need to figure out a way to fight the 80,000,000+ people. It’s never going to happen again. People my age and older.[er] “I’m going to be physical and fight for him this time. … They’re going to get my six and we’re going to be ready to go.”
March 2023 (before the Manhattan indictment)
“How can anyone accuse another person of a crime when it is clear to everyone that no one has committed a crime and the potential death and destruction that would result from such a false accusation could have devastating consequences for our country?”
Trump added, “They are telling us to be peaceful, but our country is being destroyed!”
“They are [prosecuting Trump] “They’re doing this to win, and they’re not going to win. There will be chaos across the country. This is very bad. It’s a very bad precedent. As we said, this opens Pandora’s box.” (A Washington Post reporter asked Trump as he was leaving if he would tell his supporters not to be violent. Trump ignored the question.)
April 2024 (on whether violence will occur if they lose)
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think I’ll win. And if I don’t, it depends on the circumstances. It always depends on the fairness of the election.”
