Donald Trump, during a recent criminal trial, criticized New York Justice Juan Merchan on his social media platform, leading to his supporters calling for violence against the judge. The trend of Trump and his followers attacking judges handling cases against him has been escalating, with some calling for judges to be killed. The repeated threatening language used by Trump and his supporters can normalize the idea of violence and increase the risk of someone carrying it out. Experts warn that such rhetoric could lead to actual violence, similar to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Despite policies against violent rhetoric on platforms like Truth Social, The Gateway Pundit, and Patriots.Win, posts calling for violence against judges handling Trump’s cases have been allowed to stay up for days or weeks. The posts show a shift in how violent language is being expressed online by Trump’s followers, with a focus on intimidation and fear rather than direct threats. This has raised concerns among experts about the potential impact on the independence and legitimacy of the judiciary.
While politically motivated harassment of judges is not exclusive to the right, the current trend of violent rhetoric and threats from Trump and his supporters has sparked fears of real-world violence. The constant riling up of angry supporters by Trump and his attacks on judges contribute to the dangerous environment where threats and calls for violence are becoming normalized. The situation poses a serious threat to the rule of law and the safety of those involved in the legal proceedings against Trump.
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