Special Counsel John Durham, who was appointed by then-Attorney General William Barr to investigate the origins of the Russia investigation in 2019, recently accused former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign of working to infiltrate the Trump campaign's servers to find ties to Russia.
Trump, whose campaign contacts with Russian operatives were well-documented by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, took the claim as vindication that the entire Russia investigation was a "hoax."
In a statement, Trump suggested members of the Clinton campaign should be put to death, writing:
"The latest pleading from Special Counsel Robert Durham provides indisputable evidence that my campaign and presidency were spied on by operatives paid by the Hillary Clinton Campaign in an effort to develop a completely fabricated connection to Russia. ... In a stronger period of time in our country, this crime would have been punishable by death."
It was just the latest embrace of violent rhetoric from Trump, whose disinformation has led to all sorts of violence, from a deadly failed insurrection to the mailing of pipe bombs by supporters to his perceived enemies.
If you think the statement would have Trump's allies in Congress jumping ship, you'd be wrong.
Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, one of Trump's staunchest allies in the House of Representatives, appeared in a Fox News interview, where he said Trump's statement was "right on target."
In an interview with Fox & Friends, Jordan said:
“We’ve never seen anything like this in history. So President Trump’s statement yesterday, I think is right on target. This is truly unprecedented, truly something that has never happened in the history of our great country.”
As Ken Meyer of Mediaite reported:
"To be clear, the part of the statement in which Trump suggested execution for the Clinton operatives was not mentioned in the report Fox presented just before Jordan joined the broadcast. However, Jordan retweeted a Fox News article which did include the entirety of the former president’s comments — making it unlikely he wasn’t aware of the Trump’s suggestion the operatives should be put to death."
Jordan's endorsement of Trump's comments generated heavy backlash.
A sitting US Congressman @Jim_Jordan is calling for the execution of a former First Lady and Secretary of State. This is where the @GOP now is. And @GOPLeader is just fine with this Banana Republic behavior. https://t.co/wBpNHjh9Z7
— Christine O (@cmocre1957) February 14, 2022
If this is true @Jim_Jordan needs to be removed from Congress. https://t.co/DZWyqRUTwO
— Vindication for Vindman! (@putmygamefaceon) February 14, 2022
What is the matter with Jim Jordan?#GOPBetrayedAmerica https://t.co/LnYzyIzk9q
— Milo Somers (@milo_somers) February 14, 2022
This is what fascism looks like.
https://t.co/4KXHWAfLvs
— Just Elizabeth, II (@nihil_ad_rem) February 14, 2022
Meanwhile, Trump's calls for the death of Clinton operatives were met with disgust.
"In a stronger period in our country, this crime would be punishable by death." This sentence should revolt, shock, and offend, coming from anyone; these words coming from the former and possible future president should horrify, chill, and, hopefully, stiffen spines.
— Gregg Nunziata (@greggnunziata) February 13, 2022
Trump is such an idiot. Doesn't he have any staff who can stop this stupidity? https://t.co/GzcIbISuFp
— elise ambrose (@eliseambrose) February 14, 2022
Sick, just sick! https://t.co/uDBWMkcG7L
— K Lands NYS (@katland1031) February 14, 2022
Psychopathic delusional narcissist. https://t.co/dq7x3n5zM6
— Jara Williams (@JaraWilliams3) February 14, 2022
trump is a vicious man, those who follow him are weak. It’s that simple https://t.co/PoH9HGICh3
— Rhonda Lately (@lately39) February 14, 2022
Trump's rhetoric won't be toned down any time soon.
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