During an appearance on ABC News, Sarah Matthews, a former deputy press secretary for the Trump administration, disclosed that a climate of “death threats” is the key factor muzzling ex-Trump officials from speaking out about the tumultuous events of January 6.
During an exclusive year-end interview with host Jonathan Karl, Matthews, joined by former Trump officials Alyssa Farah Griffin and Cassidy Hutchinson, provided insights into their collaboration with the Jan. 6 Committee. Matthews delved into the reasons behind the lingering silence among Republicans.
Matthews revealed a chilling truth behind the reluctance of ex-Trump administration officials to speak out—ongoing death threats. While acknowledging personal ambitions as a contributing factor, Matthews highlighted the genuine fear among Republicans that coming forward would lead to threats against their lives and their families.
“I knew that coming forward and speaking out against Donald Trump, I could potentially face security threats or death threats, online harassment,” Matthews stated, emphasizing the risks she and others faced.
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Alyssa Farah Griffin echoed these concerns, pointing not only to the fear of retribution from Trump but also the disturbingly intense loyalty of his followers. Griffin described the threats, harassment, and intimidation as “horrifying” and unprecedented in her decades-long political career.
In a stark warning, Griffin highlighted the unprecedented impact of Trump’s influence, stating, “Listen, I’ll say this with Donald Trump is, what scares me as much as him and his retribution is the almost cult-like following he has over his most diehard supporters. The threats, the harassment, the death threats that you get when he targets you and he’s deliberate in targeting is really horrifying and has no place in our American discourse, and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in the decades-plus I’ve been in politics.”
She added: “He can put in diehard loyalists who can weaponize every level of government against his detractors, against the American people, against the media. It’s almost too scary to fully wrap your head around what it could look like.”
Despite her staunch Republican background, Matthews dropped a political bombshell by revealing her intention to cast her vote for President Joe Biden over Trump in the upcoming election. She stressed the imperative of prioritizing democracy in the face of ongoing challenges.
“I’ve never voted for a Democrat in my life, but I think that in this next election, side and choose democracy,” she said.
Watch the interview below from NBC News.
