Rising Threats Follow Trump’s Social Media Targeting of Officials
Donald Trump’s provocative comments on the internet have led to a new wave of threats against at least 22 politicians from both parties. NBC News found many events that happened after Trump directly accused legislators of treason and sedition.
Targets include key Democrats like Senators Chuck Schumer and Elissa Slotkin, Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, and many Indiana lawmakers who were against his political plans.
Political Violence Escalates Amid Heightened Public Hostility
The most recent rise comes after a number of violent events, such as the shooting of two National Guard officers in Washington, D.C., in November, which killed one of them. Federal data indicates that threats against US politicians, their families, and their staff have gone up a lot for the last two years.
Research from the University of Chicago found that assaults on members of Congress who were charged with crimes climbed by 600% during Trump’s first term. This is a worrying indicator of an increase in politically motivated violence.
Lawmakers File Complaints as Online Rhetoric Fuels Danger
Three members of Congress who Trump says committed sedition have filed official charges with Capitol Police, saying they are in danger right away. Officials acknowledged that investigations were going on, but they wouldn’t give any specifics for security reasons.
Senator Slotkin claimed that after Trump’s postings in November, her office had hundreds of death threats. She called the reaction immediate and overwhelming.
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Experts Warn of Normalized Political Violence in US Discourse
Robert Pape, a security expert, said that Trump’s morally disengaging rhetoric makes it easier for people to act violently. His study reveals that words that dehumanize others, such as traitor and garbage, make people more likely to justify violence.
Pape stated that Trump’s popularity makes this trend much more hazardous since his fans see his words as a green light for violent revenge.
Indiana Republicans Face Swatting and Bomb Threats
Trump’s comments online came at the same time as swatting events and death threats against state leaders. He had just criticized Indiana Republican lawmakers for voting against a redistricting measure. Greg Goode, a lawmaker, almost escaped death when armed cops invaded his residence after a bogus emergency call.
Within days of Trump’s posts, state police confirmed dozens of threats against local politicians, with some reporting bomb scares and threats of violence.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and Other Allies Targeted by Followers
Even Trump’s friends, like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have been harassed after the president spoke out against them in public. Greene said that after Trump called her a traitor online many times, she got a pipe bomb threat and murder threats on her son.
Greene said the president was encouraging dangerous radicals, but Trump said he didn’t believe her and said she wasn’t in danger.
Polls Show Americans Blame Extreme Rhetoric for Political Violence
A recent NBC survey indicated that 61% of Americans now think that violent events are caused by dividing language rather than just one event. The number shows that more people are aware of it than in the past.
Politicians and experts say that if political leaders don’t accept responsibility for what they say, the US might normalize violence as a way to win elections in the future.
