MSNBC, a left-wing cable news outlet, provided a platform to anti-Trump strategist Rick Wilson last fall, where he called for a “bullet” to be sent into the body of Donald Trump. As founder of the Lincoln Project, which holds accountable those who violate their oaths to the Constitution, Wilson stated that the donor class should not sit back and watch things unfold, but rather actively participate in removing Trump from power. This call for violence was made during an interview on MSNBC, where Wilson expressed his thoughts on the matter.
The Lincoln Project’s mission is to hold accountable those who violate their oaths to the Constitution and place their loyalty to others before their loyalty to the American people and democracy. Rick Wilson has also authored two anti-Trump books: Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump and Democrats from Themselves.
Responding to Wilson’s statement about putting a bullet in Trump, some Twitter users expressed concern that he should not be given a free pass just because he is not making a specific threat. They argued that his words could inspire unstable individuals to carry out an assassination and constitute blatant incitement. Others questioned why Wilson was not being talked to by Trump’s Secret Service, while others expressed concern about the overall message of violence and intimidation.
The issue of whether or not Wilson should be held accountable for his words is a topic of debate. Some argue that people on the right have been imprisoned over memes and wonder if Wilson will receive the same treatment or if he will be given a free pass due to his target being Trump. The Lincoln Project has faced additional scrutiny with regard to its co-founder John Weaver, who made sexual advances towards men and boys as young as 14 years old.