Kari Lake was speaking at a Republican convention in Georgia on Friday night where she called for an armed attack on the United States in response to Trump’s indictment.
According to Washington Post reporter Issac Arnsdorf:
Kari Lake speaking tonight in Georgia says to get Trump, Merrick Garland will have to go through 75 million Americans “and most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA. That’s not a threat , this is a public service announcement. Standing ovation.
—Isaac Arnsdorf (@iarnsdorf) June 10, 2023
Kari Lake wasn’t hiding what she was trying to say. The most ardent Trump followers like Lake have taken the most extreme stance in defending Trump. Lake has threatened the United States Attorney General, and by extension the US government, with gun violence if Donald Trump is prosecuted.
Prior to the 1/6 attack on the Capitol, Lake’s comments might have been considered extreme and potentially dangerous political rhetoric, but in post-1/6 America his comments take on a different and more sinister context.
MAGAs are a minority in the United States. Trump and his supporters are losing. Their leader is about to be tried and could be imprisoned for the rest of his life.
When political extremists are a minority who cannot gain power through legitimate means, they often see violence as an acceptable route to power.
Republicans as a whole did not rush to Trump’s defense. No red caps have taken part in mass protests on the streets of the country.
No matter how often Trump tries to scare his supporters by claiming the prosecutor is really going after them, people don’t show up.
Kari Lake’s comments represent a dangerous extremist escalation that must be stopped before it can begin.
Jason is the editor. He is also a member of the White House press pool and a congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate studies focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
