Why Is Trump Increasing The Violence At Home And Abroad?

 

The following is by Robert Reich:

In response to public outrage following ICE’s recent murders in Houston and Maine, the Department of Homeland Security moved to pause vehicle stops. But the pause reportedly infuriated Trump, who ordered ICE to continue the stops. ICE’s arrests and aggression continue to escalate.

 

Trump’s war with Iran is also escalating, with the U.S. striking critical infrastructure sites including power stations and bridges, and Iran attacking a U.S. base in Jordan, killing two American troops (one is still missing).

 

I think the two killing fields are related, and the question I’ve been pondering is why Trump’s violence is growing both at home and abroad?

It can’t be because the violence is achieving Trump’s stated objectives. Illegal immigration was already down to a trickle before ICE’s recent violent resurgence. The escalating bombing of Iran is fortifying its militant leaders, causing even more Iranians to become anti-American, and widening the war.

 

Nor is Trump’s escalating violence popular with American voters. In fact, most Americans have turned against ICE and against Trump’s war in Iran. Strikingly,Trump has lost enthusiasm even among many fellow Republicans, a core source of his power for more than a decade. 

So why is Trump escalating the violence, at home and abroad?

At first I thought it was to justify Trump’s use of emergency powers in the midterm elections — giving him trumped-up reasons to deploy troops at voting places, curtail times and places of voting, and confiscate voting lists and machines.

 

That may still be a motive, although his address to the nation last Thursday night focused on fake reports of fraudulent voting rather than Iranian aggression or a fake resurgence of immigration. 

So, is there any other reason for Trump’s escalating violence at home and abroad?

As Americans and much of the rest of the world turn on Trump (and, by extension, Pete Hegseth, JD Vance, and Stephen Miller), I can’t help but wonder whether they feel their manhood to be under assault. 

Remember, this is a president who staged a cage match on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday and incited an attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. 

It’s also a secretary of defense who’s testing troops for their levels of testosterone. 

A vice president who excoriates “childless cat ladies” and other “people without children” for allegedly having no stake in the nation’s future.

 

And a White House deputy chief of staff who’s taunting Texas senatorial candidate James Talarico for having “less testosterone” than his opponent and emitting “soy milk” when his blood is drawn.

In the Trump manosphere, violence is seen as a sign of virility. When that virility is challenged, the automatic response is to escalate the violence.

 

Hence, the growing mayhem in Trump’s two killing fields.

The Things Americans Believe Are Driving Political Violence

The chart above is from the Public Religion Research Institute survey -- done between November 21st and December 8th of a nationwide sample of 5,735 adults, with a 1.58 point margin of error. 

A Majority Of Americans Believe Political Violence Will Increase

The chart above is from the Politico / Public First Poll -- done between October 18th and 21st of a nationwide sample of 2,051 adults, with a 2.2 point margin of error.  

Both Politicians And Citizens Must Do More To Curb The Violence

 

I have to agree with Mr. Basu. The trend for political violence in the United States will get worse before it gets better.

And the politicians in Washington believe that, also. Many legislators from both parties are cancelling or limiting their public appearances. I don't blame them. Except for the party leaders, they don't have government provided security when they leave the Capitol. They are currently discussing how they might remedy that.

The danger is especially dire for Democrats. Right-wingers are furious about the killing of Charlie Kirk, and social media is full of calls for retribution (and even civil war). And the most powerful politician in the country, Donald Trump, is using his bully pulpit to demonize them. He says all Democrats are dangerous radical leftist that must be dealt with.

The Republicans are also in danger, but they are responsible for creating that danger to themselves by giving tax cuts to billionaires while taking food from the poor and kicking millions off Medicaid (and raising Obamacare premiums). They have also joined Trump in demonizing Blacks, immigrants, members of the LGBTQ community, and anyone who doesn't profess fealty to Trump.

Adding to the danger for both sides is the ridiculous proliferation of guns in this country - and the ease with which anyone can get one (regardless of how dangerous they might be).

Politics should not make us enemies. We are all Americans who want the best for our country and its citizens. And age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, color, or religion does not make us different. In a free country with free speech, we should be able to express and fight for our views without demonizing or hurting those who disagree with us.

Our politicians should lead in the effort to curb political violence. They should clearly state their opinions, debate them, and then compromise for the good of the country. They used to be able to do this and they must get back to it.

We should do better - and we must. Our democracy depends on it.

Most Believe The Political Climate Makes Violence More Likely Than Normal

The chart above reflects the results of the YouGov Poll -- done on September 12th of a nationwide sample of 3,211 adults.

Instead Of Pleading For Peace And Unity, Trump Opts For More Violence

The 1960's and 70's were a turbulent and divisive time in the United States - and it resulted in far too much political violence. There were the assassinations of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy - and the attempted assassination of George Wallace. It also had the Kent State shootings and the Chicago police riots (at the Democratic convention). 

Sadly, we seem to have returned to a time of far too much political violence. Too many politicians (and others) have engaged in decisive and hateful rhetoric, and that has led to a continuing rash of political violence. The latest victim is right-winger Charlie Kirk, but their have been victims on both side of the political spectrum. It needs to stop!

As this nation's chief executive, Donald Trump had a golden opportunity to use his bully pulpit to plead for national unity and the toning down of hateful political rhetoric. But he chose to do just the opposite. He chose to heighten tensions by blaming his political enemies for the violence (while ignoring his own violent rhetoric and that of his supporters).

Instead of stopping the violence, his statements make it more likely that the violence will continue - that his supporters will retaliate to the Kirk killing with more killings. History will not be kind to him for this!

Our Democracy Is Being Endangered By Political Violence (from Both Sides)

I did not like Charlie Kirk. He was a rabid right-winger who pushed an agenda (racist, misogynistic, homophobic, xenophobic) that was dangerous to this country and many of its citizens. But his killing was WRONG! It was a heinous crime, and I hope his killer is found, tried, and given the harshest penalty possible.

The taking of a human life is always wrong (except in self defense or the defense of another). And political killings are especially wrong, because they put our democracy in danger. 

I'm sure many of those who commit political violence think they are accomplishing something. They aren't. In fact, it often pushes people to do the exact opposite of what they wanted. The killing of Kennedy in Dallas resulted in an overwhelming victory for Lyndon Johnson in 1964. And the attempted killing of Trump gave his campaign a boost that allowed him to eke out a victory in 2024.

Political violence is getting out of hand in this country. And it is resulting in violence against those on both the left and the right. And whether that violence is committed by a leftist or a right-winger it is always wrong.

The surge in political violence is caused in large part by an increase in political hate speech. Too many people think their political opponent is their enemy. They aren't. They are simply people who disagree with you politically. 

It is OK to disagree with others politically. That's the basis of democracy. And it's OK to fight hard for the success of your own views. But when you lose (and everyone eventually does in a democracy), you must accept it and prepare to fight again on another day.

But resorting to political violence of any kind must not happen. It is a crime, and it's anti-democratic.

We need to tone down the political hate speech. Democrats are not the enemy of Republicans and Republicans are not the enemy of Democrats - and politicians (and others) should avoid speech that demonizes those that disagree with them. In a strong democracy, people need to be able to disagree without hating.

We also need to do something about the proliferation of guns in this country. There are more guns that people in the United States - and it is far too easy for those who want to do violence to get any kind of gun they want.

We  may not be able to completely eliminate political killings (or mass shootings or murders in general), but respect for each other (even when we disagree) and some sane (and constitutional) gun laws can radically reduce them. We need to do both.

Trump Acts To Halt The Progress Being Made In Better Policing

The chart above is from the Gallup Poll - done in 2024 of a nationwide sample of 48,981 adults. The margin of error for the entire sample (and the individual groups) are 1.0 points.

It became obvious a few years ago that some police department in this country were not treating citizens equally. They were discriminatory and even violent toward minorities. This was seen in numerous unnecessary deaths of Blacks.

The federal government acted to correct this. They investigated and then imposed agreements on some offending departments. And it helped make things better. Note in the chart above that Blacks had an improved perception of their local police departments.

Things were not perfect, but they were improving. Sadly, the racist in our White House didn't like that - and he has moved to destroy that progress. Consider the following from Reuters.com:

The Trump administration is ending efforts to secure agreements for federal oversight of police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky, despite a prior government finding they routinely violated the civil rights of Black people.

In a major rollback of federal civil rights investigations, the Justice Department said on Wednesday it was also ending investigations and rescinding findings of misconduct into six other police departments.

This is not good. In spite of what Trump (and his racist MAGA movement) think, all people have the right to be treated decently and equally by governmental organizations like the police.

The American Dream must apply to all or it is not guaranteed for anyone. 

Two Young Israelis Were Murdered - Was It Antisemitism?

On Wednesday night, two young employees of the Israeli embassy were shot and killed as they exited an event at the Jewish Museum in Washington. 

It was a violent criminal act that should never have happened, and I'm thankful the perpetrator was apprehended. I hope he's convicted and serves a very long sentence in prison.

But one thing that has bothered me is that the media was instantly calling it antisemitism. It might have been, but we first have to know why it occurred.

If the gunman shot these young people simply because they were Jewish, then it would definitely be antisemitism. But if they were shot because they worked for a government committing violent crimes against the people of Gaza, it would be political terrorism - but not antisemitism.

Too often these days, people (especially politicians) are quick to label any speech or action against Israel as antisemitism. But people have the right to oppose actions by the Israeli government - just like they would against the actions of any other government. It is NOT antisemitism to oppose the Israeli government!

Violence (except in self-defense) is always wrong, but it is not always antisemitic.

Gun Violence Continues In The U.S. (And Congress Ignores It)

Gun violence has not been in the national news lately, but it has not gone away. So far this year, there have been 4,805 people killed by guns, 8,296 people injured by guns, and 98 mass shootings. As the days grow warmer, we can expect all of those numbers to increase substantially.

And of course, the GOP-controlled Congress continues to ignore the problem.

The figures quoted are from the Gun Violence Archive.

Americans Vote To Do Nothing About Gun Violence In The U.S.

So far in 2024, there have been 14,575 gun deaths and 455 mass shootings (about 1.44 every day) in the United States. The carnage is continuing, and the voters in this election don't seem to care.

They elected Republicans to control both houses of Congress and put Trump back in the White House. Those are the very people that have blocked all attempts to establish rational gun laws (including closing the loopholes in the background check law.

This means the epidemic of gun violence will continue unabated for at least another four years. And thousands of Americans will lose their lives unnecessarily.

Trump's Desire For Police Violence Is Illegal And Ridiculous

Donald Trump must be getting desperate. His latest proposals are ridiculous. He has proposed letting police department have a day on violent retribution against those they consider to be criminals. It is insane!

It's also unconstitutional. The Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, and allowing the police to attack people without arrest or trial would certainly meet that definition.

It's also illegal. It is against the law for anyone to attack or abuse someone - including the police. In fact, because of the power we give police officers, they should be held to a higher standard.

And finally, it simply would not work. It would not eradicate crime as he thinks. I worked in various aspects of law enforcement for nearly 30 years. I never met a criminal who thought he would be caught. And if someone doesn't think he/she would be caught while committing a crime, arrest or violence would not serve as a deterrent.

This would not make our society better or safer.

Trump: Look In The Mirror To See Who's Causing Violence

Donald Trump has delivered more violent political rhetoric than any other modern presidential candidate. But he wants to blame Democrats. That's not unusual. He commonly blames others for things he is guilty of doing.

Steve Benen at MSNBC.com explains why Trump's blame game on political violence is ridiculous:

First, the investigation into the alleged would-be shooter is just beginning. The idea that the former president can speak to the suspect’s motivations, in detail, is difficult to take seriously. Given the preliminary evidence, Ryan Wesley Routh’s politics were, to put it mildly, idiosyncratic, supporting Republican, Democratic and independent candidates — including, in 2016, Trump himself. To characterize him as some kind of lifelong Democratic partisan is a stretch.

Second, Trump clearly sees accusations that he’s a “threat to democracy” as beyond the pale, but, in reality, the Republican candidate really has endorsed an authoritarian-style vision that would undermine democracy. This assessment is based almost entirely on Trump’s own rhetoric and public statements. When the former president’s critics, in Democratic politics and elsewhere, accuse him of being a threat to democracy, their case is rooted in fact.

Third, these assessments aren’t just coming from the left. Trump’s own former defense secretary, Mark Esper, has described the former president as a “threat to democracy.” The Washington Post’s Bob Woodward, who remained neutral in every presidential race throughout his lengthy career, made an exception for Trump, calling him a “threat to democracy.” Retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig, a giant of conservative jurisprudence, directly accused Trump and his allies of waging a “war on democracy,” adding that the former president is a “clear and present danger” to American democracy.

Fourth, if Trump genuinely believes that accusations about “threats to democracy” are beyond the pale, he should probably take a moment to explain why he keeps accusing people he dislikes of being “threats to democracy.” At last week’s presidential debate, for example, he pointed at his Democratic rival and declared, “They talk about democracy. ‘I’m a threat to democracy.’ They’re the threat to democracy.”

Fifth, the hypocrisy surrounding the former president’s latest rant was staggering. In the same interview with Fox News Digital in which he accused Democrats of creating security threats by using caustic rhetoric, Trump said Democrats “want to destroy our country” and are currently “destroying the country.” He added — again, in the interview in which he was arguing that Democrats ought to dial down their comments — that Democrats are “the enemy from within” and “the real threat.”

President Biden - "We Must Not Go Down This Road"

The following is the transcript of President Biden's 7/14/24 speech on political violence:

My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics and to remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We’re neighbors. We’re friends, coworkers, citizens. And, most importantly, we are fellow Americans. And we must stand together.

Yesterday’s shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are, how we go forward from here.

Thankfully, former [President] Trump is not seriously injured. I spoke with him last night. I’m grateful he’s doing well. And Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers.

We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, a hero, sheltering his family from those bullets. We should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers.

Earlier today, I spoke about an ongoing investigation. We do not know the motive of the shooter yet. We don’t know his opinions or affiliations. We don’t know whether he had help or support or if he communicated with anyone else. Law enforcement professionals, as I speak, are investigating those questions.

Tonight, I want to speak to what we do know: A former president was shot. An American citizen killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing.

We cannot – we must not go down this road in America. We’ve traveled it before throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer, whether it’s with members of Congress in both parties being targeted and shot, or a violent mob attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, or a brutal attack on the spouse of former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, or information and intimidation on election officials, or the kidnapping plot against a sitting governor, or an attempted assassination on Donald Trump.

There is no place in America for this kind of violence or for any violence ever — period. No exceptions. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized.

You know, the political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. And we all have a responsibility to do that.

Yes, we have deeply felt, strong disagreements. The stakes in this election are enormously high.

I’ve said it many times that the choice in this – that we make in this election is going to shape the future of America and the world for decades to come. I believe that with all my soul. I know that millions of my fellow Americans believe it as well.

And some have a different view as to the direction our country should take. Disagreement is inevitable in American democracy. It’s part of human nature. But politics must never be a literal battlefield and, God forbid, a killing field.

I believe politics ought to be an arena for peaceful debate, to pursue justice, to make decisions guided by the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. We stand for an America not of extremism and fury but of decency and grace.

All of us now face a time of testing as the election approaches. And the higher the stakes, the more fervent the passions become. This places an added burden on each of us to ensure that no matter how strong our convictions, we must never descend into violence.

The Republican convention will start tomorrow. I have no doubt they’ll criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country. I’ll be traveling this week, making the case for our record and the vision – my vision of the country – our vision.

I’ll continue to speak out strongly for our democracy, stand up for our Constitution and the rule of law, to call for action at the ballot box, no violence on our streets. That’s how democracy should work.

We debate and disagree. We compare and contrast the character of the candidates, the records, the issues, the agenda, the vision for America.

But in America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box. You know, that’s how we do it, at the ballot box – not with bullets. The power to change America should always rest in the hands of the people, not in the hands of a would-be assassin.

You know, the path forward through competing visions of the campaign should always be resolved peacefully, not through acts of violence.

You know, we’re blessed to live in the greatest country on Earth. And I believe that with every soul – every power of my being. So, tonight, I’m asking every American to recommit to make America so – make America what it – think about it. What’s made America so special?

Here in America, everyone wants to be treated with dignity and respect, and hate must have no safe harbor.

Here in America, we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours.

Let’s remember, here in America, while unity is the most elusive of – goals right now, nothing is more important for us now than standing together. We can do this.

You know, from the beginning, our founders understood the power of passion, and so they created a democracy that gave reason and balance a chance to prevail over brute force. That’s the America we must be, an American democracy where arguments are made in good faith, an American democracy where the rule of law is respected, an American democracy where decency, dignity, fair play aren’t just quaint notions but living, breathing realities.

We owe that to those who come before us, to those who gave their lives for this country. We owe that to ourselves. We owe it to our children and our grandchildren.

Look, let’s never lose sight of who we are. Let’s remember we are the United States of America. There is nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. 

Public Opposes Presidential Immunity And Political Violence

 

The charts above are from the newest NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist Poll -- done between March 25th and 28th of a nationwide sample of 1,305 adults, with a 3.5 point margin of error.

Trump Threatens Violence If He's Not Elected

From Robert Reich: 

At a rally today outside the Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio, Trump warned that “if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a blood bath … for the country.”

He also warned that if he didn’t win, “I don’t think you’re going to have another election, or certainly not an election that’s meaningful.”

In the rest of the speech he repeated his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, which have been utterly discredited. 

He praised the people serving sentences in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol — calling them “hostages” and “unbelievable patriots,” commending their spirit, and promising to help them if elected in November. 

He cast migrants as threats to American citizens — claiming without evidence that other countries were emptying their prisons of “young people” and sending them across the border. “I don’t know if you call them ‘people,’ in some cases,” he said. “They’re not people, in my opinion.” He later referred to them as “animals.”

Trump is clearly desperate. He knows that his future freedom and his fortune both depend on winning in November. He has no qualms about turning Americans against Americans to achieve this goal. Apparently he is even willing to fuel violence, a second civil war. 

Yesterday, Trump’s own former Vice President, Mike Pence, showed enough integrity to refuse to endorse Trump. If other current and former Republican officials had an ounce of integrity, they would do the same. Today’s disgraceful performance should be a wakeup call, if they still need one. 

The rest of us must do everything in our power to ensure that this monster never again comes close to the Oval Office.

Most Think Political Debate Is More Toxic And Violent

The charts above are from the Pew Research Center.

 

Support For Authoritarianism And Political Violence Growing

The charts above are from the Public Religion Research Institute survey -- done between August 25th and 30th of a nationwide sample of 2,525 adults, with a 2.19 point margin of error. 

Racists Are More Vocal And Violent In Defense Of Trump

 The country's racists are getting more vocal and violent in defense of Donald Trump; The following post is by Eugene Robinson in The Washington Post:

And so it begins. The masks, or hoods, are coming off.

In Texas, a Donald Trump supporter is being held without bond on federal charges of threatening to kill U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who presides over the case against Trump for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election. Prosecutors said the suspect, Abigail Jo Shry, telephoned Chutkan’s chambers to make an explicit death threatand to call the judge, who is Black, a “stupid slave n-----.”

I won’t repeat the vile epithet Shry allegedly hurled, but its plural rhymes with “RIGGERS” — a word Trump conspicuously used Tuesday, in all-caps, while ranting on social media about the “stolen” election. Trump’s wordplay was quickly echoed, and amplified, by acolytes posting on far-right online platforms.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis, who filed a massive racketeering indictment against Trump and 18 co-defendants on Monday night (and is African American), also has received racist threats that include pictures of gallows and nooses.

And the names and purported addresses of the grand jurors who returned the Fulton County indictment were doxed on a pro-Trump fringe website, according to NBC. The network said one of the responses to the list read: “These jurors have signed their death warrant by falsely indicting President Trump.”

It was always just a matter of time before threats against the public officials and everyday citizens who are holding Trump accountable became explicitly violent and racist. The only question is whether the Republican Party is going to pretend not to notice — which is the same thing as actively joining in.

In addition to Willis, two other African American prosecutors are pursuing legal action against Trump: New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, on criminal charges that Trump allegedly falsified business records; and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is suing Trump in a civil case for alleged tax fraud. The clear implication of the attacks coming from angry Trump supporters — and the unapologetic claim of Shry’s alleged threat against Chutkan — is that Black Americans have no right to sit in judgment of their MAGA hero.

Given the demographics of New York, Miami, D.C. and Atlanta, it is all but certain that there were African Americans on all four of the grand juries that have indicted Trump on criminal charges. For performing their civic duty, these men and women, too, risk being targeted as “RIGGERS.”

In Georgia state courts, unlike in those other jurisdictions, grand jurors’ names are listed in the indictments they hand up. No other personal information is disclosed, but Trump supporters have posted what they purport to be photographs and addresses of some of the Fulton County grand jurors on social media. County officials have declined to comment on what, if any, security arrangements have been made.

According to the Census Bureau, a plurality of Fulton County’s population, 45 percent, is African American. On Monday night, television viewers watched as a Black female officer from the sheriff’s department took the Trump indictment to Judge Robert McBurney (who is White) for his signature; a Black female official, guarded by Black law enforcement personnel, took the paperwork to the county clerk’s office for processing; and, finally, Willis made a brief appearance before reporters.

Two African American election workers in Fulton County, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, were falsely attacked by Trump for supposed cheating in favor of Joe Biden. Trump supporters harassed them so viciously with racist threats that they had to go into hiding. Deluded MAGA true believers even showed up at the home of Moss’s grandmother, announcing they intended to make a “citizen’s arrest.”

Trump attorney and co-defendant Rudy Giuliani admitted recently in a sworn court document that the allegations against Freeman and Moss were lies. But Trump has not taken anything back. In his “RIGGERS” post, he vowed that next week, he will present a report vindicating his election fraud claims. To their credit, Gov. Brian Kemp, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and other top Republicans in Georgia have been forthright in defending the accuracy and integrity of both the vote and the vote-counters. But where is the rest of the Republican Party?

All of the elected officials and presidential candidates who indulge Trump’s stolen-election lies for fear of being defenestrated by the MAGA base — all of those who mumble about “irregularities” in the 2020 vote or the “weaponization” of the justice system — have a decision to make.

As his legal peril mounts, Trump is nakedly using race as a wedge to animate his most racist White supporters. Are you okay with that, Ron DeSantis? Tim Scott? Nikki Haley? Mike Pence? Vivek Ramaswamy? You need to tell us, yes or no, at your coming debate.