Donald Trump Won’t Let Anyone Talk Him Out of Revenge
Donald Trump often tries to leave himself just enough plausible deniability so that his allies can insist heâs not speaking literally. But when it comes to threatening his political opponents, the former president has been clear: He means what he says.
After raising eyebrows this week for suggesting in a Newsmax interview that he may seek to prosecute ânastyâ Democrats if he wins back the White House in November, he was given not one but two opportunities to soften his rhetoric. He passed on both.
The first off-ramp came in an interview Wednesday with Sean Hannity, a close ally. âWill you pledge to restore equal justice, equal application of our laws, end this practice of weaponization?â the Fox News host asked, giving him a chance to address critics who âwant people to believe that you want retribution, that you will use the system of justice to go after your political enemies.â
âI know you want me to say something so nice, but I donât want to look naive,â Trump replied. âWhen this election is over, based on what they have done, I would have every right to go after them.â
Okay, so he believes he has âevery rightâ to go after Democrats. But that doesnât mean he actually wouldâŠright? âYou donât have time to get even,â as Dr. Phil McGraw suggested to Trump in a deferential interview Thursday. âRevenge does take time, I will say that,â Trump responded. âAnd sometimes, revenge can be justified, Phil. I have to be honest. Sometimes it can.â
Revenge is often on the mind of the former president, who has promised his supporters that he will be their âretribution.â But he has been especially preoccupied with payback since his historic felony conviction last week, as have his supporters, who have escalated their rhetoric against President Joe Biden and other Democrats. Biden should âjust be ready,â MAGA Representative Ronny Jackson said on Newsmax recently. âWhatâs good for the goose is good for the gander.â Meanwhile, as elected Republicans vow to avenge Trump, far-right extremist groups and white nationalists have ramped up racist threats online, watchdog groups warn: âIt lays the groundwork for more anti-democracy actions,â Lindsay Schubiner, program director at the monitoring group Western States Center, told Axios Friday. âThatâs particularly dangerous in the lead-up to the election.â
Democrats have dialed up their own warnings about the âconvicted felonâ running against Biden: âHeâs out for revenge and retribution,â reads a billboard the Democratic National Committee unveiled near a Trump campaign event in Phoenix Thursday, days after Biden himself said something had âsnappedâ in his rival. But there are still those deluding themselves about the threat Trump poses: âI think I really made some headway with him that [revenge] is not the way to go,â Dr. Phil told CNNâs Abby Phillip after his interview with Trump. âI am going to relentlessly try and get him to not do that.â How comforting.
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