Viewpoint: Trump's "breaking point" alarm - what should concern us
Things have taken a turn for Donald Trump who used to be known as the "Teflon Don", a mobster moniker given to John Gotti back in the day after he successfully avoided any criminal convictions in previous cases. Gotti's luck ran out in 1992 when he got convicted in a case where a former close associate testified against him, earning him a life sentence that ultimately claimed his life in 2002.
In a recent Fox News interview, the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee seemed quite unperturbed by the notion of being incarcerated, stating nonchalantly, "I'm OK with it." But then, as Trump continued to ponder his new status as a convicted felon, he raised eyebrows with his alarming comment, "I don't know that the public would stand it, you know?" He further added, "At a certain point, there's a breaking point."
Adam Schiff, a Democratic representative from California, quickly picked up on this "breaking point" comment and pointed out that it's nothing but a veiled threat in disguise. And Schiff is not wrong - it's quite similar to when Trump had initially slammed the case as "a rigged, disgraceful trial" or even his claim that President Joe Biden somehow orchestrated the New York County prosecution, spewing a string of lies about the trial.
With each of the 34 felonies Trump was convicted of carrying a maximum sentence of four years imprisonment (and a potential total of 20 years in case of all counts), it's becoming increasingly likely he might face jail time. Trump's own attorney, Todd Blanche, can't rule out the idea that his client will be jailed given the highly publicized nature of the case, along with other factors like the pending federal and Georgia charges. In fact, it seems that this was not such a bad idea for Candidate Trump, with the Republican National Committee reporting a whopping $70 million donated in the first two days after the verdict.
Trump's allies have also been expressing concerns about potential violence in response to these developments. Laura Loomer, a Trump ally who accompanied the former president on his plane to an Iowa rally earlier this year, has called for the death penalty against Democrats. Meanwhile, Newsmax host Carl Higbie explicitly targeted the "tyrants" responsible for prosecuting Trump and cautioned Democrats about their majority ownership of guns.
Still, there are threats emerging online from Trump supporters who are trying their best to identify the jurors who convicted Trump in an attempt to wreak revenge. Some extreme Proud Boys chapters have even declared "war" and called for supporters to "fight" in an effort to "save your nation". It's no secret that Trump's earlier attacks against the presiding judge of his New York criminal case led to violent threats towards Justice Juan Merchan. Will Trump's criticisms of the verdict and his ominous "breaking point" statement escalate those threats and potentially even instigate violence from his supporters?
We've seen this play out when Trump spread lies about the “rigged” FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home in 2022, resulting in one supporter promising not to "tolerate" the FBI and eventually dying after attacking an FBI field office. Will Trump encourage protests outside the New York courthouse on July 11, his scheduled sentencing date?
Only time will tell what course of action Trump and his supporters may take, but one thing remains certain - Trump's Teflon days are long gone. He's well aware he's no longer impervious to legal repercussions.
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Despite Adam Schiff's assertion that Trump's "breaking point" comment was a veiled threat, Trump's lawyers have argued that their client was merely expressing his discomfort with the potential public backlash. Various opinions have emerged regarding this situation, with some viewing it as a concerning escalation of rhetoric, while others dismiss it as political posturing.
