Follow the Stack · Grievance
Violent rhetoric
Glorifying, threatening or calling for violence against people or groups.
7 documented facts
Wrote on X that if he were "in charge later", men convicted of three violent crimes would be quickly tried and hanged in public to deter others, adding that it was "time to bring back masculine leadership to protect our most vulnerable".
“We will quickly try and hang men after three violent crimes. And yes, we will do it in public to deter others.”
Response: Lonsdale defended his position against critics, describing himself as a "moderate" who believes "in second chances" and saying he would support due process before any public execution.
Reacting on Truth Social to a video in which six Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds urged service members to refuse illegal orders, wrote that their "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" was "punishable by DEATH!", reposted an article about them adding "LOCK THEM UP???" and reshared a user's post reading "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!".
“punishable by DEATH!”
Response: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president was not threatening the lawmakers with violence.
Addressed by video link Tommy Robinson's "Unite the Kingdom" anti-immigration rally in London, called for the dissolution of Parliament and an early election to remove Keir Starmer's government, and told the crowd that violence was coming to them and that they must fight back or die. Starmer's spokesman condemned "dangerous and inflammatory language which threatens violence and intimidation on our streets".
“Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.”
As his administration prepared immigration raids and a federal crackdown in Chicago, posted an AI-generated image of himself as an officer in the war film "Apocalypse Now", captioned "Chipocalypse Now", with a post saying Chicago would find out why it is called the Department of War, accompanied by helicopter emojis. Illinois Democrats condemned the post; Governor JB Pritzker said the president was threatening to go to war with an American city.
“I love the smell of deportations in the morning”
Response: White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said local Democratic leaders were "more upset about a post from the President" than about weekend shootings in Chicago.
On Palantir's fourth-quarter 2024 earnings call, said the company was there to make its partner institutions the best in the world and, when necessary, to scare enemies and on occasion kill them. Discussing disruption of the US government, which Gizmodo linked to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he also said "there's a revolution" in which "some people get their heads cut off", a remark that may be read as a metaphor.
“when it's necessary, to scare enemies and on occasion kill them”
Hours after an apparent second assassination attempt on Donald Trump, replied to a post asking why "they" want to kill Trump with "And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala" and a thinking-face emoji. The post, viewed more than 30 million times, was later deleted. The White House called the rhetoric irresponsible.
“And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala”
Response: Musk suggested it was a joke, writing that "just because I say something to a group and they laugh" does not mean it will be funny as an X post.
Posted on X in late January 2024 a message naming seven San Francisco supervisors that ended with "Die slow motherfuckers", then deleted it. Days later, five of the supervisors he named received mailed threats bearing his face and referencing his post; Supervisor Aaron Peskin said he did not believe the letter he received came from Tan.
“Die slow motherfuckers.”
Response: Tan deleted the post, said it was a reference to a Tupac Shakur song ("I thought everyone would get the rap reference but that wasn't a good call, reference or not – sorry!") and sent the board an apology saying "there is no place, no excuse and no reason for this type of speech and charged language in discourse".