Friday 21 July 2023

Trump warning of violence - again

Donald Trump is facing potential charges over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. Now he is warning of more violence from his supporters if he is convicted and sent to prison. Lawyers might no doubt argue the toss over whether a warning of future violence is just a warning or more like an encouragement to cause violence. As with the January 6 attack where it has been alleged that Trump's speech before the onslaught incited his followers to do what they did, the former president has insisted that he was doing the opposite, that he called on his supporters to advance on the Capitol but peacefully. If he is charged with incitement this will be at the heart of the defence case. I notice that Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House, who was quite critical of Trump's involvement after the attack is now saying the former president couldn't possibly be convicted of an incitement charge because he had called for a peaceful protest. He may turn out to be right. But now Trump is warning of trouble ahead if he is sent to prison. I fear he is also right. If Trump is handcuffed and marched off to a prison cell, I can't imagine his millions of loyal followers will take it kindly and might well burst onto the streets. But what Trump should be doing right now is to try and promote his innocence, not give sinister warnings in a TV interview that his imprisonment will lead to some sort of violent uprising. But that's not the way Trump does things.

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