Former President Donald Trump has stirred controversy once again with a repost on his new social media platform, Truth Social. The post in question called for a “citizen’s arrest” of New York Attorney General Letitia James and Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over Trump’s fraud trial. The repost featured a user’s “fantasy” of seeing James and Engoron placed under citizen’s arrest for alleged election interference and harassment.
Legal experts have expressed alarm over Trump’s repost, noting that it could incite his followers to take illegal action. Former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman tweeted, “Sometimes he says incendiary things that his followers act on, as in ‘will be wild.’ This is an actual incitement to break the law and it greatly endangers the judge and AG.” Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University who frequently defends Trump in the media, also warned that there is no legal basis for a citizen’s arrest and physically holding either the judge or attorney general would constitute a criminal act.
New York state Senator Mike Gianaris, a Democrat who has previously advocated for changes in the law, argued that the statute allowing for citizen’s arrests should be eliminated altogether. He tweeted, “Citizen’s Arrest is bonkers to begin with, and it shouldn’t be used by aspirational despots to go after perceived enemies. We must get rid of it once and for all.”
Trump’s repost on Truth Social has reignited concerns about his influence and the potential consequences of his rhetoric. Many are calling for responsible use of social media platforms to prevent the spread of dangerous ideas and actions.
