One of the remarkable things about Donald Trump's rise to power is that he has made no secret of his plans to abuse it. He openly seeks to pervert justice, abuse the power of the presidency, and subvert the values of civilized society.
The second remarkable thing is that Americans elected him to the country's most powerful office anyway. The result may be a country where political violence is even more prevalent. Since entering politics nearly a decade ago, Mr. Trump has created structures that allow for political retribution, with unfortunate effects.
inside Interview on December 8thPresident Trump has confirmed that he plans to pardon rioters convicted of storming the Capitol in January 2021. He also said six members of Congress and special counsel Jack Smith should be jailed for investigating their role in inciting to overturn the election results.
So Trump wants to free lawbreakers and fill cells with law keepers. It's a claim he has made many times as president and as a candidate: that he is a “president of law and order.”
“We must maintain law and order at the highest level, otherwise the country will disappear 100 percent.”President Trump said He praised police officers in a 2016 speech. “I'm a law and order candidate.'' That was before he was convicted. 34 felonies and was indicted In many cases, they also used legal means and re-election to avoid trial and punishment.
But back to the beginning. As NPR reported, “Donald Trump made more money during the 2024 presidential campaign.” 100 threatsinvestigating, prosecuting, imprisoning, or otherwise punishing his perceived enemies, including political opponents and civilians; ”
From a legal perspective, his threats appear hollow as there is no evidence that those on his enemies list have committed any crimes. However, a fake investigation by the FBI and Justice Department that involved the use of weapons casts a shadow over their lives. and under the law President Trump can slander and defame his perceived enemies with relative impunity.
Political scientists and historians will continue to analyze President Trump's impact on society's views on violence, but the circumstantial evidence is damning.
A survey released in July 2022 found that half of Americans A civil war will break out in America within the next few years. One in five people think political violence is justified, 12% would threaten or intimidate others for political reasons, one in 10 would be willing to hurt others, and 7% would They were willing to commit murder over political disagreements, with 4% believing it was justified. “There's a slight chance you're going to shoot someone with a gun.” Unless you're in a room with 100 people and four of them are murderers, 4 percent sounds low.
The study's authors wrote, “Combined with previous research, these findings suggest continued alienation and distrust of America's democratic society and its institutions. A significant minority of the population… “endorses violence, including deadly violence, to achieve political ends.”
In 2019, the Southern Poverty Law Center counted record numbers. 1,020 hate groups In the United States, “as President Trump continued to fan the flames of white resentment over immigration and the country's changing demographics.” This number has increased for the fourth year in a row and “coincided with President Trump's campaign and inauguration.”
Last year, the same organization identified 79 extremist groups; 1,430 hate and anti-government groups In the United States, the New Tolerance Campaign, which describes itself as a “watchdog organization mobilizing Americans to stand up to intolerance,” is on the list. 233 organizations It was defined as left-wing extremism.
of Anti-Defamation League“Before and after January 6th, more and more elected officials began glorifying and even encouraging violence against political opponents. Dehumanizing language targeting those on the other side of the aisle. This sense of crisis, coupled with the increasing use of terrorism, has contributed to a surge in threats and acts of political violence across the country.
Today, we live in a country where many Americans consider the cold-blooded killer who assassinated the CEO of United Healthcare a hero. As soon as the company posted a commemorative message on Facebook, 77,000 laughing emojis .
When Trump was targeted by a would-be assassin last July, he realized that the illegal activities he encouraged could be directed against him. But rather than use the incident to denounce political violence, the Trump campaign changed its narrative. rebellious bloody faceinto a campaign meme. Shares of the company that owns Trump's social media site “Truth Social'' rose. 32 percent.
After the Secret Service thwarted a second assassination attempt, Bloomberg reported“By portraying Mr. Trump as a fighter and a survivor, his campaign is trying to capture the American public's torn attention and hold Harris and the Democratic Party responsible for further assassination attempts. I want it.”
But after carefully documenting President Trump's violent rhetoric since 2015, Breakwater concluded that “No American public figure has done more to normalize political violence.”
Now that the federal government's weapons are once again under his command and his newly appointed people are willing to use them, Trump has unleashed his own version of political violence: his own perceived enemies. It promises the unwarranted use of government power to harass and intimidate those who do so. is supported by US Supreme Court decisionWith presidential immunity and the loyalty of armed extremists, he seems to think that no one, no institution, would dare try to stop him.
President Trump will once again act as if the US government exists to serve him and his grievances, not to meet his demands. The Constitution's Promise of a Nation Blessed with Justice and Internal Peace. He makes no bones about it.
William S. BeckerHe is executive director of the President's Climate Action Project and a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy.
