Social media erupted with concerns after former president Donald Trump implied that a jail sentence would be the ‘breaking point’, triggering violence from his followers. The statements, widely criticized by netizens online, were made by Trump in a Fox News interview on Sunday, June 2. As per Raw Story , Trump stated, “That could happen…I don’t know that the public would stand it, you know, I don’t…I think it would be tough for the public to take, you know at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.”
Trump on possible house arrest or jail time: I’m not sure that the public would stand for it. I think it would be tough for the public to take. At a certain point, there’s a breaking point pic.twitter.com/kiULX6wax6
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 2, 2024
In response, a user slammed the Republican frontrunner on X, “Calling for violence again. I think the public will stand it just fine. A thousand of his idiots are already in jail for Jan 6th.” In a similar vein, another criticized , “It’s just not cute or funny anymore. The orange manbaby is a massive threat to the nation.” Chiming in, another echoed , “You would think threatening violence before your sentencing hearing might be a bad thing. The man still doesn’t understand, he’s a convicted felon now. Things are going to change.”
“The Public” stands for it with every other person who is convicted & sentenced to prison. Trump is really speaking to the same folks he spoke to ahead of Jan 6 & asking for desperate measures because he still thinks he’s above the law. https://t.co/nEqRcU1mOg
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 2, 2024
Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, opined , “‘Breaking point’ = incitement of followers who are volatile due to Leader in distress and can be manipulated into violence on Leader’s behalf. That’s what happened on Jan. 6. Trump needs another round.” Many users also mocked the former president’s claim that the public wouldn’t ‘stand for it.’ A user quipped , “Member of the public here, we would be fine with it and it would in no way, be hard to take.”
Trump issues thinly veiled threat of political violence committed by his MAGA fans if he’s held accountable w house arrest/jail. Jail would be appropriate for this crime, regardless of who did it. Trump comments are meant to make Judge Merchan et al. fear holding him accountable https://t.co/x7Lb0Nb63E
— Sergio Grant (@sgrant525) June 2, 2024
As the comments poured in, a user agreed , “I would love it if he was locked up. The breaking point is if he isn’t punished for his crimes,” while another opined , “The majority in this country — also known as ‘the public — don’t want a convicted felon for president. So yeah, we’ll stand for it. We are also happy about justice finally being served.”
Judge Juan Merchan scheduled Trump’s sentence hearing for 10 a.m. on July 11, four days before Republicans convene to formally select their nominee for president. For those found guilty in New York state of felony falsification of business records—the charge levied against Trump in his trial—prison time is not a common outcome. If it so happens, the maximum penalty can be up to four years in prison.
Of course we wouldn’t just stand for it, we would applaud for it, dance in the streets for it, celebrate raucously for it, jubilate for it. Stand for it wouldn’t be nearly enough. https://t.co/ngCbex2HBX
— Dean Astumian, OFS☮️🇺🇦✝️ (@DeanAstumian) June 2, 2024
Trump’s statements are disturbing, since after his conviction in the hush money trial, his supporters have threatened to harm Merchan and District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, with violence, NBC News reported. These threats were made in a series of posts on the same websites that Trump supporters used to plan the attack on the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. The addresses of the jurors in the case were also allegedly attempted to be made public on a discussion board frequented by Trump fans.
