Former President Donald Trump is known for his social media shenanigans, but one of his recent posts has caused experts to raise eyebrows. A video he posted showed a truck with a mural of President Biden bound and, on his side, painted along its rear. Let’s see why experts think Trump’s bail to be revoked because of this post.
Trump Loves Upsetting the Left
Trump has made a habit of posting images and tweets that are designed to upset the left. This isn’t the first situation where he’s “owned the lefties” via a social media post.
However, some experts think that this is going too far, especially from a former president. They state that the Secret Service is responsible for investigating this as a threat.
Letting Trump Break the Rules
One commentator, former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance, says that it’s time for them to stop letting Trump break the rules. But are they really letting him do that?
According to Vance, the Secret Service should investigate anything that constitutes a threat to the POTUS, even if the person can’t carry it out. However, that seems a bit overbearing.
Revoke His Bail
Long-time Philadelphia Inquirer reporter and columnist Will Bunch stated that they should revoke Trump’s bail for his threats against the sitting President of the United States.
Political science scholar Tim Hogan noted that if the Secret Service doesn’t address this situation, they should fire the head of the Secret Service and bring him up on charges.
Many More Cries of Outrage
Investigative journalist Victoria Brownworth noted that the picture of Biden tied up on the back of a supporter’s truck should tell anyone what Trump’s plans are if he got into office.
Actor Jon Cryer mentioned that Trump is currently under indictment with 88 felony counts and just posted photos to social media about what he would do to his political rival.
Knee-Jerk Reactions
With all of this hate spewing at Trump, and even though he’s out on bail, many of the commentators seem to just want to toss the guy in jail. And it’s not a new phenomenon.
The “Orange Man Bad” stereotype that Far Right proponents use to poke fun at leftists seems to hold true in this sense. Asking the Secret Service to investigate Trump for a video with an image in it looks like a waste of time.
Thousands of Threats Made
The Secret Service is usually busy as election time approaches. They just don’t have the manpower to investigate every threat that comes up. They have to prioritize the most valid threats against the POTUS.
While Trump has shown he’s not a fan of democracy with his January 6th stunt, it’s not enough to warrant the Secret Service investigating him or arresting him on suspicion.
Not Really an Overt Threat
Trump’s video records the rear end of one of his supporter’s trucks carrying a plethora of equipment, including Blue Lives Matter flags and pro-American signs.
Trump could be sending a subtle message about what he plans for Biden after he gets elected, or he could just be recording the election paraphernalia he’s taking to an event for his supporters.
Doing This While Out on Bail
Some commentators have noted that he’s posting a video like this while he’s out on bail for fraud charges. They claim his bail should be revoked, and he should go straight to jail.
It’s telling that some commentators are willing to throw Trump in jail for an image that’s not on something he personally owns. The double standards applied to Trump in this instance seem to suggest a lot of vitriol from the left.
Constitution Still Protects Free Speech
Free speech is still a right guaranteed to the former President, and posting an image of his political rival in such a state seems to fall in line with free speech permissions.
The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution also prevents excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment. Revoking someone’s bail for posting on social media may fall under cruel and unusual punishment.
Democrats Campaign Cries Foul
Biden’s political campaign called it a tasteless image. However, their response was to highlight Trump’s evocation of Nazi imagery when it comes to addressing the immigrant problem.
Part of the Democrats’ push for Trump to be held accountable is his constant portrayal of violence against people who don’t support him. Inciting violence could forfeit his First Amendment protections.
More Violent Imagery at Campaigns
Trump has already stated that if Biden gets into power, it could be a bloodbath all over the country. Although, in his typical style, he never says what the cause of the bloodshed would be.
His portrayals of immigrants “poisoning the blood of the country” are directly in line with the rhetoric used by Adolf Hitler during his tenure as Chancellor of Germany prior to the Second World War.
Images Are Not Actions
While the former president is undoubtedly making it easy for his political opponents to cry foul, he hasn’t directly done anything that would constitute violence against someone or something.
His calls for violence may require some consideration since they happen pretty often and could lead to increased violence.
An Existing Track Record
Calling for violence against others has been a hallmark of the Trump campaign, and it’s not limited to this election either. Racially-motivated crime rose in areas where Trump held rallies in 2016 as well.
While there are no numbers for the current political situation, it’s safe to assume that things may be close to the same.
Should Trump’s Bail be Revoked?
Despite the calls for many people to have Trump’s bail revoked, it’s probably not constitutional to do so. He hasn’t directly violated any of the rules outlined in his bail.
However, his statements, rhetoric, and politics require people to pay close attention to both him and his supporters. They may not have done anything yet, but as January 6th shows us, they are never too far away from doing something unconscionable.
