Donald Trump, the former president, is under fire for a recent fundraising email in which he accuses Democrats of wanting to “behead” him after his conviction in Manhattan.
The message in question reportedly reads, “Haul Out The Guillotine. After this ruling, they want to BEAD me! They want me gone but they’re really after you!”
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of criminal fraud last month for a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels during his first White House run. The email was sent by Trump’s campaign on Wednesday.
“When will the Right awaken to the truth that Trump was the Trump of 1/6?” Griffin asked, referring to the January 6, 2020 U.S. Capitol attack backed by Trump.
The rhetoric used is reckless, dangerous, and shameful.
When will Right-wingers wake up and realize that Trump is not the Trump who kicked back to enjoy 1/6? https://t.co/ysTgWNLmzG
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) June 12, 2024
Former NBC Executive Mike Sington also criticized Trump’s email, saying, “Just when you thought he couldn’t sink any lower… Trump sent out a fundraising email calling for the beheading of his critics and opponents.”
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a leading historian on fascism and author of books on propaganda and authoritarianism, stated, “From Fascism to the present, authoritarians prepare people for violence and accept it by creating existential fears.”
“These threats are not just for the leader’s beloved, but must also be made to his followers,” she continued. Trump, a desperate and convicted felon, invokes the guillotine to threaten his followers as well.
Amanda Carpenter, a nonpartisan writer at Protect Democracy, condemned Trump’s email as “Completely unacceptable, beyond irresponsible, gross, disgusting, and unhinged.”
Trump’s rhetoric, from attacking his enemies to allegedly inciting violence among his followers, has faced criticism. His comments have led to gag orders in many legal cases against him, including his bid for reelection this November.
During a press conference at Trump Tower the day after his Manhattan conviction, Trump stated that he was willing to risk the danger of violating his gag orders to “save our nation and save our Constitution.”