At a rally in Ohio on Saturday night, Trump once again demonstrated the unequivocal danger of his candidacy for the White House. At one point, Trump said:

Now if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s gonna be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it.

The man who tried to violently overturn the election promising a “bloodbath” if he loses sparked alarm across the political spectrum. Trump supporters argued that the former President was speaking specifically about the auto industry. Some pundits chastised Democrats — including the Biden campaign — for taking Trump out of context.

This is overly pedantic idiocy.

Following the logic of any Trump speech is nearly impossible. The comment came during a section about Chinese competition in car manufacturing, so maybe he was taken out of context. But that’s so far beyond the point. Much like his legal strategy, Trump is trying to get off on a technicality. The bloodbath comment is not new nor is it out of character. If you are arguing that Trump didn’t really mean bloodbath, you lost the forest for the trees a long time ago. He has threatened violence if he gets convicted or loses the election. Just a few weeks ago, Trump warned there would be a “civil war” in the U.S. if he lost.

Either way, Trump has political violence on the brain. At the rally, Trump saluted as an alternative version of the national anthem. This anthem was originally performed by criminals convicted of assaulting the Capitol on January 6th and recorded by phone from prison. That sentence is almost too ridiculous to be true, but it sadly is. The anthem from the J6 Choir played after the announcement urged the audience to “please rise for the horribly and unfairly treated Jan. 6 hostages.”

Of course, Trump wants to do more than honor the convicted criminals who stormed the Capitol on his behalf. Last week, he announced via Truth Social that pardoning the January 6th insurrectionists would be one of his first acts as President:

I just think it’s worth reiterating that one of Donald Trump’s first acts — before he tackles costs, wages, or healthcare — will be to pardon violent criminals convicted for their role in trying to overthrow the U.S government.

Well, if Trump wins and democracy comes to an end, we won’t be able to say we weren’t warned over and over again. If Trump wants to make justice for the January 6th rioters a centerpiece of the campaign, Democrats should welcome it. And if Trump were somehow convinced to stop talking about January 6th, Democrats should do everything in their power to put Trump’s role in fomenting the violence on that horrendous day front and center for every voter.

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1. The Danger of Political Violence is Real

What Trump is doing is very dangerous. Sure, a President pardoning people who committed crimes on his behalf is bad for democracy and the rule of law. However, the real danger of promising pardons to people who commit political violence is that it will beget more violence. Trump is promising a “get out of jail free” card to people who act violently on his behalf. Imagine how someone hopped up on Right Wing propaganda and conspiracy theories might act if they have no fear of legal accountability and the hope of being hailed a hero by Trump.

Ultimately, this is how we should frame Trump’s pardon promise and dangerous rhetoric around future political violence. A Navigator Research poll found that more than 80% of Americans are concerned about political violence today and in the future. Voters also see Republicans — and Trump — as more prone to political violence. Independents say Republicans are more prone to political violence than Democrats by a 15-point margin.

The best argument is not that Trump was responsible for January 6th, but that he is actively encouraging similar political violence.

2. No One Likes the January 6th Rioters

From a purely political perspective, Trump’s decision to support the rioters is insane. A January 2024 CBS News poll found that nearly 80% of voters disapprove of the actions of the people who entered the Capitol on January 6th. Even a majority of self-identified MAGA Republicans disapprove.

Think about that for a second. Donald Trump is saluting while being serenaded by people who even a majority of his base dislikes.

While per the CBS News poll 2/3rds of Republican voters support pardons for these folks, 62% of all voters oppose them.

3. How to Make Trump Pay

Trump’s rhetoric is dangerous for democracy, but also provides a big opportunity for Democrats, especially with the voters Trump needs to win in November. A Data for Progress poll found that 57% of Independents are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the January 6th attack.

Here are some quick thoughts on how make the case:

1. Trump’s Support of Violence is an Example of His Extremism: Pardoning and saluting people who commit political violence is evidence of a dangerous level of extremism. These are candidates who will ban abortion, contraception, and IVF and cut Social Security and Medicare. January 6th and democracy are not top of mind for every voter, but Trump’s position on those issues can open the door to other arguments about the dangers of his extremism.

2. Trump is Focused on Himself: I haven’t seen any polling about Trump pardoning January 6th rioters on day one, but I am 100% positive that it would be incredibly unpopular. One of the best arguments against Trump is that he is only running for President to help himself, reward his friends and punish his enemies. Trump’s pledge to pardon violent criminals before helping the rest of us really helps tell that story.

3. Be Detailed About January 6th: Late last year, Bryan Bennett of Navigator Research outlined some advice on how to talk about January 6th. Here are the most resonating statements:

   • More than 2,000 rioters ultimately broke into the Capitol, many of whom vandalized and looted parts of the building (69 percent true, 72 percent concerning);

   • Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted by rioters (64 percent true, 71 percent concerning);

   • Five people died as a result of the events on January 6th, including Capitol police officers (60 percent true, 75 percent concerning); and,

   • More than a thousand people have been arrested for their actions on January 6th (62 percent true, 66 percent concerning).

4. Highlight the Day One Pledge: The fact that Trump wants to issue these pardons on his first day in office is very notable because it shows how important they are to him. Helping his violent political allies is more important to Trump than many of the issues that voters care a lot about — inflation, Social Security, health care etc.

Trump’s embrace of political violence and the people who commit it is an important story to tell voters every day between now and November.

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