President Donald Trump’s rhetoric against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and his approval of right-wing militia groups culminated in a massive plot to kidnap Whitmer and start a civil war.

Back in April, Trump encouraged armed protests against the Michigan governor over coronavirus pandemic prevention measures instituted by Whitmer to slow the spread of the virus that has killed more than 200,000 Americans.

Trump not only voiced support for the protests, he took to Twitter to call on his supporters to “liberate” the state.

Well, his supporters took his call seriously enough that they made it their mission to kidnap Whitmer and put her on trial for treason, which presumably would involve an illegitimate trial conducted by the group complete with a fake guilty verdict and a very real execution.

Multiple members of a group known as Wolverine Watchmen have been charged for engaging in domestic terrorism because they intended to kidnap Whitmer, blow up a bridge, and murder police officers in an effort to start a civil war prior to the November 3rd presidential election. The FBI uncovered the plot and several arrests have been made.

“There has been a disturbing increase in anti-government rhetoric and the re-emergence of groups that embrace extremist ideologies,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said at a press conference Thursday according to the Detroit Free Press. “This is more than just political disagreement or passionate advocacy, some of these groups’ mission is simply to create chaos and inflict harm upon others.”

Trump has not only attacked Whitmer on multiple occasions, he has attacked Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Whitmer responded to the plot by implicating Trump because he has repeatedly refused to condemn right-wing extremist groups and incites violence and hate.

The Detroit Free Press reports:

The governor said this should be a time for national unity against the coronavirus pandemic, but said that Trump has spent the past seven months “denying science. Ignoring his own health experts, stoking distrust and fomenting anger,” while “giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division.”

She noted that Trump said a white supremacist group called the Proud Boys should “stand back and stand by” when asked to denounce them at a recent debate against former Vice President Joe Biden, whose national Democratic campaign for president she co-chairs. Anyone who fails to denounce such groups is “complicit,” she said.

Trump later denounced hate groups, but Whitmer said the groups heard his words at the debate “not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry,” and ” a call to action.”

“When our leaders speak, their words matter.” she said. “They carry weight.”

Indeed, Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand by” instead of denouncing them, raising concerns that he will refuse to concede the election and will call upon these right-wing extremists to keep him in office by force.

Trump would go on to respond by attacking Whitmer again on Twitter while making the same demands that led to extremists plotting against her.

Trump should be held accountable and charged for inciting these extremists. He’s the ring leader giving them their marching orders on Twitter and television. And it will only get worse as Election Day approaches.

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