Donald Trump issued a chilling warning that “revenge can be justified” during a wild interview with Dr Phil, less than a week after a New York jury convicted him on all charges in the hush money trial.
The former president, and new felon, has gone on to blast the judge and jury, while falsely accusing President Joe Biden of orchestrating the criminal case against him.
Trump has also made repeated threats to prosecute his political rivals should he return to the White House.
Dr Phil addressed Trump’s threats of retribution during Thursday evening’s interview.
“I think you have so much to do,” the TV host said. “You don’t have time to get even. You only have time to get right.”
Trump replied: “Well revenge does take time, I will say that. And sometimes revenge can be justified.”
The former president also told Fox News’ Sean Hannity earlier this week that he believed he had “every right to go after” his rivals.
Trump had made his intended retribution against Biden clear even before the trial.
From January 1, 2023- April 1, 2024, Trump has posted 25 “direct or implied threats” on his Truth Social platform about his plans to target Joe Biden using the power of the federal government if he returns to the White House, according to a Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) analysis.
Trump’s allies have joined in his calls for revenge.
Texas Republican Representative Ronny Jackson told Newsmax that he planned to “aggressively go after the president and his entire family” after Biden leaves office.
Fellow Texas GOP Rep. Troy Nehls also warned there will “be hell to pay“ for the guilty verdict.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s 2016 rival for the White House, tweeted after the verdict that Biden was “a demented man propped up by wicked & deranged people willing to destroy our country to remain in power.” He added, using emojis: “It’s time to fight [fire] with [fire].”
Dr Phil began his interview on Thursday by aligning himself with Trump. “They need to stop this,” Dr Phil said, referring to the New York criminal case. “They need to stop pursuing you.”
The clinical psychologist-turned-TV host also asked whether the gag order against Trump, which bars him from discussing the jury, witnesses, and others until after the court proceedings end, was an attempt to “muzzle” him.
“They’ve taken away my voice,” Trump said. “They’re keeping me in this icebox and they’ve taken away my voice.”
Trump has violated the gag order multiple times and was hit with hefty fines. His lawyers this week asked the judge to lift the gag order.
Prosecutors opposed this suggestion, writing to the judge that the gag order should remain “not only on the need to avoid threats to the fairness of the trial itself” but to protect the integrity of the proceedings and the “orderly administration” of the court.
Trump pleaded not guilty at his hush money trial, and has maintained that he is a “very innocent man.”
He will be sentenced on July 11 but has vowed to appeal the verdict.
