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Trump campaign latches on to far-right Civil War rhetoric in wake of impeachment

So far it hasnt happened.

Photo of Claire Goforth

Claire Goforth

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It’s no secret that President Donald Trump supporters are really into the Civil War. They’re so into it, in fact, that some have threatened a second Civil War in the event of Trump’s impeachment.

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In late September, Trump himself gleefully warned of civil war if he’s removed from office.

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Armed militias ate up every word of the warning. The Oath Keepers retweeted the president and added, “We ARE on the verge of a HOT civil war. Like in 1859. That’s where we are. And the Right has ZERO trust or respect for anything the left is doing. We see THEM as illegitimate too.”

As the president was impeached yesterday and no war has (thankfully) yet broken out, either those threats were hollow or they misunderstood that a president is only removed from office following impeachment and a conviction in the Senate.

That hasn’t stopped many from continuing to threaten taking up arms against their country in Trump’s honor.

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https://twitter.com/thesavoyshow/status/1205160841139625994?s=20

https://twitter.com/JoeySalads/status/1207351391523672064?s=20

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On social media, Trump supporters’ threats of violence and murder in the event of either his ouster or a constitutional amendment repealing the right to bear arms—which many inexplicably and incorrectly think will happen if he’s ousted—have been common for the last few years.

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The Second American Civil War/Facebook

The president has seized on such rhetoric. This morning, a Trump campaign email begging for money began, “Democrats have declared open war on American democracy. 229 Democratic TRAITORS voted to impeach President Trump for NO REASON other than the fact that they don’t like him.”

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One of Trump Republicans’ favored talking points regarding impeachment of late has been to argue that it’s based entirely on Democrats’ dislike of the president, and not his withholding vital military aid from Ukraine unless they investigated Joe Biden.

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Reactions to the threats of civil war run the gambit. Some keyboard MAGA warriors urged violence from the safety of their computers and phones. A few liberals were afraid, but more took to social media to mock the idea, such as by cheekily wondering if Trump’s alleged bone spurs would allow him to serve, and pointing out that trying to start a civil war is terrorism.

https://twitter.com/davekempa/status/901126352161701888?s=20

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https://twitter.com/954Z/status/1178825119717871616?s=20

https://twitter.com/drumpftsucks/status/1207685759844655105?s=20

https://twitter.com/Cdell_/status/1207477047217577987?s=20

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https://twitter.com/JkwalkerAuthor/status/1207684145377370112?s=20

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A few penned amusing Civil War 2 letters to make fun of the seemingly hollow threats.

https://twitter.com/JAfredderf/status/1207719141509156865?s=20

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https://twitter.com/TopherRuggles/status/1207653271571062784?s=20

As of Thursday afternoon, there had been no reports of the beginnings of a second civil war.

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The Daily Dot