Some of the most extreme of the "extremists" who stormed the Capitol Jan. 6 after Donald Trump urged them to go there and "fight" are turning on him, calling him a traitor, even saying he should be executed.
That's because Trump disseminated a video condemning the violence, telling people to be peaceful and forgo violence, and promising that those who attacked the Capitol will be brought to justice.
"Violence and vandalism have a absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement," Trump said. "Making America Great Again has always been about defending the rule of law, supporting the men and women of law enforcement, and upholding our nation's most sacred traditions and values. Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for."
He continued:
"No true supporter of mine should ever endorse political violence. No true supporter of mine should ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No true supporter of mine should ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans. If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement. You are attacking it, and you are attacking our country. We cannot tolerate it."
Trump noted that political violence has increased as the pandemic has worsened.
"Whether you are on the right or on the left, a Republican or a Democrat, there is never any justification for violence," he said. "No excuses. No exceptions. America is a nation of laws. Those who engaged in the attacks last week will be brought to justice."
Trump said everyone who has "believed in our agenda" should think of ways to "ease tensions, calm tempers, and help to promote peace in our country." He said as the Biden inauguration approaches, everyone has the First Amendment right to peaceful protest, but "there must be no violence, no lawbreaking, and no vandalism of any kind."
A Trump Double-cross?
Well, apparently the members of the mob that he, himself, incited on Jan. 6, didn't much like that message. In effect, they are now saying, "You double-crossed us. You told us to fight, and then when we did, you threw us to the wolves."
The Huffington Post reported that some of those rioters have posted on online message boards that Trump should be "hung" or left to "rot in prison" for backing down after inciting the riot in which they participated as Congress met to officially confirm the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. A riot that has left at least five people dead, including two police officers.
Thus, like Vice President Pence and many others who have done Trump's bidding over these past four years, these domestic terrorists felt used and screwed.
“So he basically just sold out the patriots who got rounded up for him,” one person wrote in a 15,000-member pro-Trump Telegram group, reported HuffPost. “Just wow.”
“We don’t follow you,” another Telegram user wrote, addressing Trump. “Be quiet and get out of our way.”
The HuffPost article added:
HuffPost has observed calls to “burn down” the Capitol, launch “an armed revolt,” “pop some libtards” and “TAKE THIS COUNTRY BACK WHATEVER IT TAKES!!” Some posts are more specific: “Civil War is here. Group up locally. Take out the News stations,” one person declared. “LET’S HANG THEM ALL,” another implored. “LET’S FINISH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.”
“Theres a war coming, and cowering in your home [while] real patriots march with rifles ... will make you a traitor,” commented a member of an encrypted Boogaloo chat, referring to Trump. (Also per HuffPost)
As if Biden won't have enough on his hands dealing with the Covid pandemic that's killed 396,000 people in the U.S. as of today, the economic crisis that it caused, and the many other problems of near crisis proportions caused or exacerbated by Trump, he also may be faced with quelling an American civil war.
Foreign Influence?
One important question that must be answered is who or what entities are behind that promised "war", the first salvo of which may have been the attack on the Capitol. Was it simply a product of Trump's deliberate attempt to create and motivate a base of supporters who like what they hear from him and believe his lies about the election being "stolen", or was it more?
Some sort of foreign influence, perhaps?
Today on the CBS News program, Face the Nation, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said investigators need to "follow the money" as they seek to uncover all of the facts surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection. That came in answer to a question by host Margaret Brennan, who asked if there was evidence of foreign support for any of those involved in the siege.
"We are going to try to follow the money. That's a critical part of any investigation," Schiff replied. "Who was funding this? Who was supporting this? How much were they involved in what ultimately took place on January 6?"
Would it be surprising if foreign actors were somehow involved? Russia perhaps?
Fear
Meanwhile, with all of this taking place, fear is taking hold.
In preparation for the Jan. 20 inauguration, our nation's capital is an armed camp, with thousands of military personnel deployed there, storefronts boarded up to protect against potentially angry mobs, even members of Congress and staff having trouble accessing the Capitol or their offices.
Today the CBS news program, Face the Nation, reported that 54 percent of Americans believe the biggest threat to America's way of life is "Other People in America". That compares to 20 percent who named Economic Forces, 17 percent who cited Natural World, Disasters, Viruses, and 8 percent who were most worried about "foreign threats."
That is a sad commentary about the state of America today. Yes, it can be laid at the feet of
Donald Trump, but we must ask ourselves what could have made so many people so susceptible to his lies, his hate, his vitriol, his racism? And now, causing so much fear?
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have pledged to work hard to bring America together, to ease these tensions, these fears. That, of course, is a goal we should all support. But, I'm afraid it will be a long time coming when even Trump's most loyal supporters are asking for his head because he's no longer extreme enough for them.