On Saturday night, far-right online communities erupted with calls for retribution, violence, and a state of war following the attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
A member of the pro-Trump message board called The Donald lamented, “Seems like they are truly seeking confrontation,” in a now-deleted post on Saturday evening.
Several other members of the message board, which played a key role in organizing events leading up to the Capitol riot on January 6, voiced agreement in response to the initial post.
“Let’s respond to their provocation,” commented one individual. Another remarked, “I’m prepared. This is my final straw.” Yet another user insisted, “WAR. Ready to put an end to this chaos caused by Democrats.”
Information about these posts was shared with WIRED by researchers from Advance Democracy, a non-profit organization dedicated to public-interest research.
While mainstream platforms like X and Facebook have been inundated with conspiracy theories and false information in the aftermath of the shooting, far-right circles have predominantly focused on future actions.
“They’ve been attempting to eliminate this individual since his term began,” a member of Uncle Sam’s Proud Boys Upstate NY Telegram channel reacted to a photo from the shooting, showing Trump with a raised fist and bloodied face. “Unfortunately for them, they missed their chance with this botched attempt because they are about to face the wrath of true American patriots. Disregard for the DNC, RINOs, FEDs, and MSM. They all deserve public execution.”
In a Telegram channel for the Infamous Legend Valley Proud Boys, a member from an Ohio faction of the far-right militia stated, “Mock and gloat now, you leftist individuals, but always remember you will reap what you sow.”
Users on The Donald also called for the capture of all Democrats.
“Declare war now,” insisted a user. “They are not interested in peaceful coexistence. We must finish what should have been done after the civil war: exterminate all democrats and anyone aligning with their ideology.”
Incitements to violence and conflict from far-right groups are not new. Following the FBI’s inquiry at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, Trump supporters promptly called for an armed insurrection. Similar calls were made earlier this year when Trump faced 34 felony charges. While not all calls for violence materialize into real-world actions, there have been multiple instances where online threats led to physical violence, most notably the Capitol riot.
“In contrast to the responses following the incidents at the Cincinnati FBI field office and against Paul Pelosi, there is a deliberate effort to frame this event as a consequence of left-wing rhetoric against Trump and fascism,” noted Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, in a conversation with WIRED. “A clear and unified message is being disseminated, from congress members to right-wing influencers to Neo-Nazi Telegram channels: A resistance is necessary.”
Researchers at Advance Democracy find it challenging to gauge the extent of the online threats given the evolving scenario that could escalate.
The primary topic on The Donald on Sunday revolved around speculation on the repercussions if Trump had succumbed to his injuries, with many claiming the response would have been more lethal and expeditious.
“I informed my neighbor that if Trump had perished, I would have grabbed my gear, left my job, and commenced acting on my wish list,” shared one user.
These calls for violence extend beyond online forums. Immediately after the incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot, his supporters turned hostile towards the media covering the event.
“Fake news! Blame lies with you!” they shouted, as reported by Axios journalist Sophia Cai who was present. “You’re next! Your time is coming,” echoed another individual. Some attendees attempted to breach the media section but were prevented by security personnel.
