Trump Cautions Against Prison Discussions, Highlighting ‘Passionate Group of Voters’

William FurneyDec 1, 2023

Minute Read

Facing the prospect of being locked up for 20 years in just one of many federal and civil cases he’s battling, Donald Trump has warned that any jailing of him by the courts would be a danger for the United States.

‘Perilous Even to Suggest Jail’

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Trump told the host of a radio show in Iowa that even the suggestion he might be sent to prison would be bad for the country, given the passionate support of his fans.

“I think it’s a very dangerous thing to even talk about because we do have a tremendously passionate group of voters, much more passion than they had in 2020 and much more passion than they had in 2016. I think it would be very dangerous,” he said.

‘Death and Destruction’

Trump had previously warned of “potential death and destruction” should he receive a custodial sentence in a case involving alleged secret payments to a former adult film star to keep quiet about an alleged affair with the ex-president.

Trump Rage

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Trump thundered on his Truth Social platform: “What kind of person can charge another person, in this case, a former President of the United States, who got more votes than any sitting President in history, and leading candidate (by far!) for the Republican Party nomination, with a Crime, when it is known by all that NO Crime has been committed, & also known that potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our Country? Why & who would do such a thing? Only a degenerate psychopath that truly hates the USA!”

January 2021 Rioting

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Trump supporters massed on the US Capitol in January 2021 after the president urged them to protest his loss in the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, in a vote he called “rigged” and “stolen.” Five people were killed when rioting broke out at the complex. The leader of far-right group Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was jailed for 18 years for his part in organizing the attack on the heart of American democracy.

Four Indictments

The fallout from the 2020 election is the subject of one of four indictments against Trump. Prosecutors charge he attempted to overturn the election’s results, in his favor, and that he also worked to block the transfer of presidential power to the real winner of the election. He denies the charges, saying they amount to a “witch hunt” to try stop him from becoming president again.

91 Federal Charges

Trump has been charged with 91 counts in the four indictments, and faces the real risk of being found guilty in some cases and being jailed. Another indictment alleges he wrongfully removed classified US material from the White House and took the documents to his home in Florida, where he shared some of the country’s secrets, including about its nuclear program, with others.

‘Increased Violence’ Under Trump

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One political observer noted that political violence in the US rose during Trump’s time at the White House.

“He unleashed some of the worst parts of the American id in normalizing violence as a way to solve political differences,” Rachel Kleinfeld of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told CNN. “And so we’re seeing neighbors killing neighbors, people killing business owners over political disputes all over the country,” she said.

Trump’s Election Hopes

Trump may be spending much of his time battling legal cases, but he’s also campaigning for a return to the White House. The 77-year-old is hoping to become the Republican Party candidate for the 2024 presidential election and is leading the field of Republicans also vying for the nomination.

Voting in Primaries

Republican voters will get their chance to select their candidate for the presidential election in primaries in January 2024, with the election taking place next November 5. Trump has a wide lead over rivals, and is currently polling close to 60 percent compared to around 10 percent and less for others.

A Jailed President?

Trump’s threats about being jailed may resonate with his supporters but they’re unlikely to sway the courts, say analysts, and he faces the possibility of both winning the presidential election next year and also being imprisoned.

No Constitutional Provision

Trump has also spoken about “going to prison for the sake of my country,” raising the specter of a newly elected president Trump governing from behind bars — a prospect that legal observers note would not be prohibited by the US Constitution, because it contains no such measure.

A Trump-Biden Race?

If Trump is selected as the Republican Party candidate for the 2024 presidential election, he may run against President Biden, who has announced he is seeking a second term in office. But there are concerns about the 80-year-old’s physical and mental health, following a series of tumbles and gaffes.