Trump redoubles his message of “revenge”

Former President Donald Trump has been increasingly clear about his intention to use the power of the presidency to seek revenge against those he considers his political enemies if his attempt to retake the White House is successful in the November elections.

Trump’s promises of retaliation are not new. Since he entered the political arena in 2015, he has used the strategy of grievance to motivate many of his followers. While addressing a crowd last year at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump declared: “I am his warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am his retribution.”

However, in the days after was found guilty of 34 crimes in a New York state court last month, a case for which he has not yet been sentenced, Trump’s promises of revenge have been made not on behalf of his supporters, but as a reaction to his own legal difficulties personal.

Persecution claims

The former president has claimed that the multiple criminal accusations against him in various jurisdictions across the country are the product of a wide-ranging conspiracy to prevent him from winning the presidency again.

Trump places responsibility for those lawsuits on President Joe Biden or, sometimes, on a shadowy cabal of people who, according to the Republican, influence Biden behind the scenes. That, he claimed, would justify his own use of federal power to go after them if given the chance.

In an interview last week with the host of Fox News Sean Hannity, the former president said, “Look, when this election is over, based on what they’ve done, you would have every right to go after them, and it would be easy because it’s Joe Biden.”

Late last week, when Trump was interviewed on camera by psychologist Phil McGraw, the topic came up again. McGraw, a well-known television host commonly known as Dr. Phil, tried to convince Trump that seeking revenge as president would hinder his other political priorities.

“Well, revenge takes time. “I recognize it,” Trump responded. “And sometimes revenge can be justified, Phil, I have to be honest. You know, sometimes it can be like that.”

Allies echo Trump’s call

Trump has signaled that one of his priorities, if re-elected, will be to fill his administration with loyal allies willing to do his bidding. During his four years in the White House, he frequently became frustrated by appointees who opposed his lawsuits for violating longstanding norms and, sometimes, the law itself.

Some Trump allies who are likely to be considered for White House jobs in a second Trump administration are already echoing his words. They have called on Republican officials to use the levers of power at their disposal to attack the former president’s political enemies.

In a recent appearance on Fox NewsStephen Miller, a former Trump White House adviser who would likely play a role in a second Trump administration, asserted: “Every facet of Republican Party policy and power must be used right now to, as well as, oppose Marxism.” , and defeat these communists.”

“Are all the [fiscales generales] Republicans opening voter fraud investigations right now?” Miller continued. “Are all Republican-controlled House committees using their subpoena power in every way necessary right now? All the [fiscales de distrito] Are Republicans launching all the necessary investigations right now?”

Trump’s former White House adviser Steve Bannon has also called on Republicans to start attacking Democrats, promising that campaign would only accelerate if Trump is sworn in as president in January 2025.

“Doomsday is November 5th of this year,” Bannon said, referring to Election Day on a recent episode of his daily podcast. “Day of reckoning begins the afternoon of January 20, after Donald John Trump takes his hand off the Bible and we get to work.”

The Democrats’ response

Biden has frequently criticized Trump’s promises of retaliation but has said relatively little about the fallout from the former president’s recent conviction in New York.

However, in a recent interview with ABC Newsthe president criticized his predecessor for continually attacking the justice system as corrupt and asked him to accept the verdict against him.

“Stop undermining the rule of law. Stop undermining institutions,” Biden said. “That’s all Trump’s effort. He is trying to undermine it. Look, he got a fair trial. “The jury spoke as they speak in all cases and we must respect that.”

In remarks in Michigan over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris went further, saying of Trump: “He spreads lies that our administration is controlling this case, when everyone knows this was a state prosecution. And he says he will use a second term to get revenge.

“Simply put, Donald Trump believes he is above the law,” Harris said. “This should disqualify anyone who wants to be president of the United States.”

Unprecedented for a leader

Political scientist James A. Morone, a professor at Brown University, told the Voice of America that Trump’s explicit promise to use the power of the federal government to pursue his political enemies has no clear parallel in the country’s history.

“This is really unprecedented for a president to do this,” Morone said. “And really, the historical precedents are quite the opposite.”

Even after the Civil War, Morone said, there were no prosecutions of prominent former Confederate officials and military officers. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was arrested and charged with treason, but he was never prosecuted and the charges against him were eventually dropped, allowing him to return to private life as an American citizen.

Morone said Trump’s rhetoric is particularly concerning because it sends a message to current and future public officials who may feel they need to prove their loyalty to him.

“Every time he gives a speech or an interview he says, ‘Revenge is coming.’ Revenge can be good,’ they’ll be sitting there thinking, ‘Okay…let’s think about what we can do to put ourselves in good standing as Trump warriors,’” Morone said.

“You could easily imagine this would lead to real harm,” he said.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.