Umair Gaines
Former US President Donald Trump has made several comments about the electric chair in reference to his political adversaries, including Joe Biden. In 2019, Trump claimed that if a Republican did what Biden had done, they would be getting the electric chair right now. He has also said that if he faced the same corruption allegations as Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, he would be sentenced to the electric chair. Trump's remarks have been criticized by some as inappropriate and contributing to a culture of political violence. Despite facing investigations into his businesses and conduct, Trump has maintained his innocence and denounced the cases as politically motivated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 20th May 2024 |
| Location | NRA's annual meeting |
| Audience | A group with strong views about the Biden administration |
| Context | Congressional investigations and hearings into President Biden's alleged involvement in son Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings |
| Comments | If President Joe Biden was a Republican, he would have been given the electric chair; Biden is a "Manchurian candidate" |
| Previous Comments | In 2022, Trump said he would be sentenced to the "electric chair" if he faced the same corruption allegations as President Biden and Hunter Biden |
| Response | Ex-aide Sarah Matthews blasted Trump for his remarks, saying his rhetoric has become "normalized" and that he doesn't care about how his rhetoric has gotten increasingly erratic and contributed to a culture of political violence |
| Other Comments | Trump has also previously claimed Republicans would get the "electric chair" if they did what he claims Biden did; Trump also called Biden corrupt and denied seeking a Ukrainian probe of Biden and his family in return for US military aid |
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What You'll Learn
Trump claims Biden is corrupt
In September 2019, at the UN General Assembly in New York, then-President Donald Trump called former vice president Joe Biden "corrupt" and claimed that "if a Republican ever did what Joe Biden did, [...] they'd be getting the electric chair right now". Trump did not specify the exact actions of Biden that he was referring to, but he denied that he had sought a Ukrainian probe of Biden and his family in return for US military aid. Trump also sent mixed signals on whether he would release a transcript of the call, saying that it was a "very nice call" but also that releasing the transcript may set a bad precedent for future calls with world leaders.
Trump has continued to make similar "electric chair" remarks about Biden, including at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting in May 2024, where he claimed that Biden is a "Manchurian candidate" and that "if President Joe Biden was a Republican, he would have been given the electric chair, they would have brought back the death penalty". Trump's rhetoric has been criticized by some, including his former aide Sarah Matthews, who believes that Trump's comments are not appropriate, especially when referring to the sitting US president.
Trump has also described the US as "evil" and claimed that he would be sentenced to the electric chair if he faced the same corruption allegations that have been made against Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. These allegations include potential money laundering, campaign finance, tax, and foreign lobbying law violations. Trump has repeatedly cast the Biden family as corrupt, and his comments come amid investigations into his own businesses and conduct, including the Trump Organization's criminal trial for tax fraud, conspiracy, and other offenses.
Trump's "electric chair" remarks have been interpreted as a way to signal to his base and get a reaction out of them, with some believing that he is making jokes or running his mouth. However, others have criticized the normalization of his rhetoric and the increasing culture of political violence that has been associated with it.
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Trump's electric chair comments criticised
Former US President Donald Trump has been criticised for his comments about the electric chair on multiple occasions. In 2022, Trump said that he would be sentenced to the electric chair if he faced the same corruption allegations as President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Trump described the US as "evil" and took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to express his views.
> "The Witch Hunt continues, and after 6 years and millions of pages of documents, they've got nothing. If I had what Hunter and Joe had, it would be the Electric Chair. Our Country is Rigged, Crooked, and Evil - We must bring it back, and FAST. Next stop, Communism!"
Trump's comments were criticised by Attorney Ron Filipkowski, a frequent Trump critic, who tweeted that the post indicated Trump may be "concerned" about the Trump Organization trial. Trump's rhetoric has also been denounced by his former aide, Sarah Matthews, who believes it has become "normalised". Matthews stated:
> "I think he knows that, in his mind, he thinks it is a joke where he's joking about 'Oh, he needs the electric chair,' but you shouldn't be talking about that with anyone in general, but especially not the sitting U.S. president."
In addition to this, Trump's comments were questioned by MSNBC's The Weekend co-host and former chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Michael Steele. Steele highlighted the potential implications of Trump's remarks, particularly when addressing a group with strong views, such as the NRA.
Trump has also made similar comments about the electric chair in the past. In 2019, he claimed that if a Republican had done what Biden had done, they would be "getting the electric chair right now." These statements were made in defence of his call with the Ukrainian leader, which was under scrutiny at the time.
Furthermore, Trump's remarks seem to have influenced a North Carolina state representative, Justin Burr, who expressed his desire to bring back the electric chair as a method of execution in 2017. Burr co-opted Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, using the hashtag #MakeTheChairGreatAgain.
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Trump's CFO testifies against him
In 2022, Trump's longtime CFO, Allen Weisselberg, testified against the Trump Organization at a fraud trial. Weisselberg pleaded guilty to evading taxes on $1.7 million in company-paid perks, including a Manhattan apartment and luxury cars. He agreed to pay $1.9 million in back taxes, interest, and penalties and will serve five months in prison and five years of probation in exchange for his testimony. Despite his financial entanglements, Weisselberg had a good reason to cooperate with the plea deal, as he avoided what could have been years in prison.
Weisselberg's testimony contradicted the company's lawyers, who alleged that he came up with the tax dodge scheme without Trump or the Trump family's knowledge. However, on the witness stand, Weisselberg reiterated that his scheming benefited the Trump Organization's bottom line, in addition to his own.
Weisselberg had served Trump for forty years, rising from accountant to comptroller to CFO. He stepped down as CFO in 2021, taking on the role of senior strategic advisor to the firm. Despite his arrest and guilty plea, the company continued to employ him and pay him handsomely, even providing him with a $500,000 bonus and a birthday celebration at Trump Tower just hours after finalizing the plea agreement.
Weisselberg's testimony was highly desirable, as he was believed to know the most about Trump's allegedly criminal misuse of Trump Organization funds. However, calling him as a witness was challenging due to the immunity he was granted.
In addition to the fraud trial, Trump has also faced scrutiny for his "electric chair" remarks about his political adversaries. In 2022, Trump stated that he would be sentenced to the "electric chair" if he faced the same corruption allegations as President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Trump has repeatedly cast the Biden family as corrupt and maintained his innocence, denouncing investigations into his businesses as politically motivated "witch hunts."
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Trump's 'electric chair' rhetoric normalised?
In September 2019, then-President Donald Trump claimed that if a Republican had done what Joe Biden did, "they'd be getting the electric chair right now". Trump was referring to the allegations of corruption against Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, and the investigation into Trump's call with the Ukrainian leader. This was not the first time Trump made such remarks; in 2022, he again said he would be sentenced to the electric chair if he faced similar allegations to those against the Bidens.
Trump's comments were criticised by some, including his former aide, Sarah Matthews, who said that Trump's rhetoric had become "normalised". Matthews argued that some Americans had become so conditioned to Trump's inflammatory language that they no longer found it shocking. She and others also expressed concern about the potential impact of Trump's words on political violence.
Trump's use of "electric chair rhetoric" appears to be a deliberate strategy to excite and entertain his base. At the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting in 2024, he claimed that Biden was a "Manchurian candidate", suggesting he was controlled by foreign adversaries, and that he would have been given the death penalty if he were a Republican. Trump's comments played on the NRA audience's strong negative sentiments towards the Biden administration.
While Trump's electric chair comments caused outrage for some, they also highlight a broader issue of normalised violent rhetoric in politics. The use of inflammatory and violent language by political leaders can have dangerous consequences, as it may encourage or legitimise acts of political violence. Trump's comments also reflect a broader cultural debate around the death penalty and its history in the US, with some, like North Carolina state representative Justin Burr, even calling to bring back the electric chair as a method of execution.
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North Carolina lawmaker wants to bring back the electric chair
In 2017, North Carolina state lawmaker Justin Burr expressed his desire to bring back the electric chair as a method of execution. In a Facebook post, he wrote:
> "The chair was originally used to put inmates to death by electrocution. After North Carolina switched to executing inmates by lethal gas, the chair was converted and put to use in the gas chamber until the late 1990s. Justice was served to nearly 200 convicted murders in this chair. The chair has been in the possession of our state history museum since 2000. I think it’s time to put it back to work. #MakeTheChairGreatAgain."
The hashtag #MakeTheChairGreatAgain was a play on then-President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." Lethal injection became North Carolina's sole method of execution in 1998, and the state has not executed anyone since 2006.
While Trump did not directly call for the electric chair, he made controversial statements alluding to it. On multiple occasions, Trump claimed that if he or a Republican were in President Joe Biden's position facing similar corruption allegations, they would be sentenced to the electric chair. These remarks were criticized by some, including former aide Sarah Matthews, who believed that Trump's rhetoric had become "normalized."
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Trump called for the electric chair for Joe Biden, claiming that if a Republican had done what Biden had, they would be getting the electric chair.
Trump made these comments while defending his call with the Ukrainian president and accusing Biden of corruption. He also called the US "evil" and said the country was "rigged, crooked, and evil".
Trump has been blasted by his ex-aide, Sarah Matthews, and Attorney Ron Filipkowski for his "electric chair" remarks. Matthews believes that Trump's rhetoric has become normalized and that his comments are not acceptable, especially when referring to the sitting US president. Filipkowski tweeted that Trump's post indicates he may be concerned about the Trump Organization trial.
A North Carolina state representative, Justin Burr, co-opted Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan to express his desire to bring back the electric chair as a method of execution in his state.
