The Thug

Once again, Donald Trump has made obnoxious threats against political opponents steeped in intimations of violence (details here). In an interview with a hard-right polemicist website earlier this week, Trump hinted at waves of violence from his supporters directed against his opponents.

This is not the first time Trump has made such vague threats. To more than a few, such remarks bring to mind private paramilitary forces that often support dictators and mete out violence to anyone opposing those in authority.

In this latest instance, Trump said, in his typically mangled speech: "I actually think that the people on the right are tougher, but they don’t play it tougher. Okay? I can tell you I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough — until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad."

Republican Rick Wilson, a frequent critic of the President, responded on Twitter: "Trump is threatening to unleash state violence (cops, military) and extrajudicial violence (bikers) against his political opponents."

Disgusting. America has had some bad Presidents but none who threatened people like this.