Tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale—the co-founder of the software company Palantir—sparked outrage and faced swift pushback after he called for a return of public hangings for violent criminals to demonstrate "masculine leadership" in America.
Lonsdale made the remarks in response to online criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is facing heavy criticism for his cavalier attitude toward the Department of Defense's attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean
A recent Washington Post investigation alleged that in September Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a U.S. strike unit to eliminate everyone aboard a single vessel. According to the report, after two people were later spotted alive in the wreckage, commanders authorized a follow-up “double tap” strike to ensure their deaths.
Lonsdale, replying to Australian journalist and Quillette editor Claire Lehmann's criticism of one of Hegseth's recent posts bragging about sinking “another narco-boat," wrote the following on X:
"She’s just wrong. Leftist schoolmarm leaders cause violence and evil in our civilization. Sinking narco boats publicly helps deter others. As does hanging repeat violent criminals."
"Killing bad guys is [the Department of War's] job. He should brag more. Masculine truth: bold, virtuous men deter evil."
“If I’m in charge later, we won’t just have a three strikes law. We will quickly try and hang men after three violent crimes. And yes, we will do it in public to deter others."
"Our society needs balance. It’s time to bring back masculine leadership to protect our most vulnerable.”
You can see his remarks below.
The United States’ final public execution took place in 1936, when Rainey Bethea was put to death by hanging in Owensboro, Kentucky.
An estimated 15,000 spectators gathered on August 14 to witness the execution. Bethea had admitted to the rape and killing of a 70-year-old woman. The event quickly devolved into a spectacle, with widespread reports of chaos and incompetence, including claims that the volunteer executioner was intoxicated.
The grim theatrics and mishandling of the hanging ultimately helped drive the decision to end the practice of public executions in the U.S.
Many have condemned Lonsdale's remarks, which come from a man co-leading an organization that the Trump administration has already tapped to compile data on Americans.
Lonsdale's posts also came just weeks after President Donald Trump called for the execution of Democratic members of Congress who stressed that the Trump administration is "pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens."
The group said that "the threats to our Constitution" aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home, and reminded U.S. troops that they must "refuse illegal orders."
Shortly afterward, Trump declared in a post on Truth Social that the video amounted to "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!!" That seditious behavior, he continued in another post, is "punishable by DEATH!" Trump also shared a Truth Social user’s call to “HANG” these individuals because, they said, it's what former President George Washington would have done.
Trump's remarks were widely condemned, including by New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said "it is not normal to invoke these kinds of threats of violence.” She said her colleagues' warning is "an important message to reiterate because this administration seems increasingly trying to go down that path."
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