Trump calls for Jeffries to be charged with ‘inciting’ violence
By Chris Wade
The Center Square
President Donald Trump is blaming House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for inciting the latest assassination attempt against him in an escalating social media feud with the top New York Democrat.
In a Truth Social post Thursday night, Trump claimed Jeffries' "maximum warfare" campaign against the GOP in redistricting efforts inspired the botched shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner three days later.
“This lunatic, Hakeem “Low IQ” Jeffries, should be charged with INCITING VIOLENCE!” Trump wrote. "The Radical Left Democrats actually want to Destroy our Country. “Should Hakeem Jeffries be charged with inciting violence?”
In April, Jeffries vowed "maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time" against Republicans redistricting plans and warned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis against redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Several days after his remarks, a California man was apprehended by Secret Service agents after allegedly trying to assassinate Trump at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton. Conservatives blamed political rhetoric targeting the president and called on Jefferies and other Democrats to tone it down.
But Jeffries, who has previously defended the use of the phrase, responded to Trump's comments by calling it a "deranged rant" and suggesting he's upset over rising costs and the upcoming midterm elections.
"Gas prices are sky high, grocery bills are surging and families can't catch a break," Jeffries wrote on X. "Democrats are about to take back the House and you're losing your mind. Where's the luv?"
Jefferies has also pointed out that the "maximum warfare" was initially used by White House officials to describe their strategy against Democrats' push to retake the House and Senate in the midterms.
Trump's claims come as the Justice Department presses ahead with federal charges against former FBI director James Comey over his social media posting of seashells spelling out "86 47" that federal prosecutors claim in court filings was a call to assassinate the president. Comey has denied that he was trying to incite violence against Trump, calling the charges a "politically motivated" attempt to punish him for criticizing the president's policies.
The president has also accused six Democrats — including New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander — of "sedition" after they posted a video urging members of the U.S. military to disobey "illegal" orders. But a federal grand jury in February rejected an indictment against the six lawmakers.