A Democratic congressman has enigmatically called for the “elimination” of former President Donald Trump.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) made the remarks during a televised interview with former Biden White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.
In addressing a question on how statements made by Trump in his own recent interview might be used against him in court, Goldman, a former federal prosecutor, said Trump is “putting himself into a bigger criminal hole.”
Goldman, who served as lead majority counsel in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry and lead counsel to House Managers in the second impeachment inquiry, said of the former president’s recent remarks:
His objective is purely political at this point. Politics don’t work in a courtroom, as I think he’s finding out in the New York Attorney General’s case in New York, a civil case.
And that’s gonna continue in his criminal trials. But his rhetoric is really getting dangerous, more and more dangerous. And we saw what happened on January 6th when he uses inflammatory rhetoric. Now, and his recent Truth Social post is incredibly, incredibly scary for anyone that might be trying to work in government. And it is just unquestionable at this point that that man cannot see public office again.
He is not only unfit — he is destructive to our democracy and he has to be eliminated.
BREAKING: In case you missed this today, Democratic Congressman @RepDanGoldman went on Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki" show today to declare that TRUMP "HAS TO BE ELIMINATED." WATCHpic.twitter.com/qUU4e9s69r
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) November 20, 2023
Goldman’s statement immediately sparked questions over what he meant by the term “eliminated.”
Multiple responses on social media platform X called for the congressman to be investigated by the Secret Service, who still handles security for ex-presidents for their entire lifetime.
Others said Goldman’s comments were an indication that Democrats are scared given Trump’s soaring popularity and recent polls showing he would defeat President Joe Biden if the election were held today.
“Is this a death threat? What does he mean by ‘eliminated’?” asked one social media user.
A separate account responded to the video, writing, “I’m not surprised. Just think it’s funny. The so called ‘party of democracy’ is too afraid to let THE PEOPLE decide in a FAIR ELECTION. That says it all.”
Another person wrote, “That sounds like he’s promoting violence against Trump.”