In a recent fundraising email blast, political action committees supporting Donald Trump issued a stark and alarming message to supporters: “haul out the guillotine.”
The email accused Trump’s Democratic rivals of harboring violent intentions, referencing comedian Kathy Griffin’s infamous 2017 photo with a mock-severed Trump head.
The message claimed, “The SAD and HORRIFIC TRUTH is that this is STILL the Sick Dream of every Trump-Deranged lunatic out there! And it’s not just me they want gone, THEY’RE REALLY COMING AFTER YOU! SICK SICK SICK!”
In the past two weeks, emails “signed” by Trump and sent by the joint fundraising committee for his presidential campaign have ramped up the rhetoric, invoking themes of “revenge” and “war” while labeling Trump as a “political prisoner” who is willing to go to jail.
These fundraising emails also falsely alleged that President Joe Biden directed the FBI to “take out” Trump during the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate. The campaign appears to be leveraging these dramatic claims to galvanize supporters, with subject lines and messages in all-caps urging action while portraying Trump as a victim of political persecution.
This escalation in messaging coincides with Trump’s own campaign of “retribution” and his ongoing legal battles. Prosecutors and judges have warned against the credible threats incited by his statements.
Following a Manhattan jury’s verdict on May 30, which found Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, the campaign quickly sent out a fundraising message claiming, “I was just convicted in a rigged trial!” and highlighted the urgency of their end-of-month fundraising deadline.
In the following two weeks, the campaign issued over 30 messages regarding the conviction. Despite criticism from Trump’s allies against Democrats for labeling him a “convicted felon,” the campaign itself used the term in a June fundraising email.
“I’m on the warpath,” Trump declared on June 3, outlining his “plan for revenge” on June 8. Messages on June 3 and June 5 stated, “I’m okay with going to jail,” while a June 4 email saw Trump calling himself “proud to be Biden’s political prisoner.”
On June 7, Trump announced the formation of the “Trump War Council,” urging supporters to join. “I NEED YOU ON MY WAR COUNCIL!” the message declared. “Biden and the DEEP STATE have declared ALL-OUT WAR against me! THEY MADE ME A POLITICAL PRISONER. A CONVICTED FELON! But with your help I will soon be free when we peacefully TAKE BACK THE WHITE HOUSE.”
Trump’s campaign reported raising nearly $53 million within 24 hours after the verdict.
Last year, two political action committees backing Trump spent more than $55 million on his legal expenses, with over half of that amount disbursed in the latter half of the year. Campaign finance reports from Trump-allied PACs revealed that millions were paid to nearly 50 firms in 2023.
