A profound sense of rage — and an insatiable thirst for revenge — is permeating virtually every corner of the Republican Party in the wake of former President Trump's historic conviction.
Why it matters: No one knows how the verdict will affect the outcome of the election. But the immediate impact is undeniable: America's political fabric has been fundamentally altered.
- To Democrats, the unanimous conviction by a jury of Trump's peers is a stamp of accountability they've been pursuing for years — the ultimate proof that no one is above the law.
- To Republicans, it's a mockery of the justice system engineered for one purpose: to stop Trump from reclaiming the White House.
The big picture: Beyond the broad indignation, Trump's conviction on all 34 felony counts in his New York hush-money case has triggered two types of responses among his supporters.
1. Republican power players are seeking to channel the conservative frenzy into fundraising, activism and a commitment to vote President Biden out of office in November.
- "Don't just get angry about this travesty, get even!" Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) posted alongside a link to WinRed, the GOP fundraising platform that crashed in the hours after the verdict.
- "There is now only one issue in this election: whether the American people will stand for the USA becoming a Banana Republic," tweeted tech investor David Sacks.
- "I wouldn't want to be a Democrat right now. It's unleashing unprecedented levels of unity among Republicans I've never seen in the Trump years," Republican strategist Alex Bruesewitz told Axios.
2. Among hardline conservatives and Trump loyalists, meanwhile, the verdict has raised existential questions — and triggered a menacing response.
- Potential attorney general pick Mike Davis told Axios he wants GOP prosecutors in Georgia and Florida to open criminal probes into Democrats for conspiring to interfere in the election by indicting Trump.
- "This is a battle of good versus evil," declared Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
- "This won't stop Trump. He'll win the election if he's not killed first. But it does mark the end of the fairest justice system in the world," claimed Tucker Carlson. "Anyone who defends this verdict is a danger to you and your family."
Zoom in: Several House Republicans posted images of flags carried by pro-Trump protesters during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, including an upside-down American flag shared by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Between the lines: "We've entered new political & legal territory as a Nation. Donald Trump will now force every GOP candidate to trash our judicial system," observed historian Tim Naftali.
- He was quickly proven right: Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican candidate for Senate, issued a statement calling for all Americans to "respect the verdict" and "the rule of law."
- Trump campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita responded bluntly: "Your campaign is over."
The bottom line: Threats of political violence had been skyrocketing even before Trump's conviction. The climate from now until Election Day will only grow more toxic.
- Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns Thursday about potential unrest incited by Trump or his allies.
- "There will be a chorus of poison likely worse than what we heard before Jan. 6th," predicted Naftali.
- "I have so many thoughts racing through my brain right now, but most of all, I'm praying for the safety of the judge, jurors, prosecution, witnesses, and their families," tweeted former Trump spokesperson Sarah Matthews.
