Former President Donald Trump, never known for mincing words, has reportedly floated the idea that certain military officials might deserve execution, preferably by firing squad. Naturally, this revelation, which emerged from an upcoming book by ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, has stirred up a flurry of reactions ranging from legal scholars stroking their chins gravely to cable news analysts turning up the dramatic music and furrowing their brows.
The specific target of Trump’s rhetorical firestorm appears to be General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose decision to contact Chinese military officials near the end of the Trump administration was viewed by some as prudent and by others as high treason. Enter Trump, a man who has never let a lack of nuance get in the way of a strong opinion, allegedly suggesting that Milley’s actions might warrant the sort of punishment usually reserved for Bond villains and deeply unfortunate extras in historical dramas.
Karl writes that Trump was not merely venting in private but actually asked advisors if the general could be executed in this gloriously antiquated manner, which, given the former president’s love of spectacle, tracks remarkably well. Experts, however, are quick to point out that treason requires legal processes, not campaign-style rallies with accompanying 18th-century firing squads.
“We do not try or execute people just because the president thinks they’re guilty,” said law professor Steve Vladeck, demonstrating a truly admirable amount of patience for the obvious.
Political analysts have noted that Trump’s rhetoric around executing perceived enemies has become more frequent, which raises eyebrows and blood pressures in equal measure. Whether this is simply more of his signature bravado or a strategic attempt to rally the base with talk of strongmen justice is unclear. Either way, it is the kind of comment that, in the context of a dinner party, would absolutely result in someone calling the host to ask if everything is alright.
While Trump denies the quote, calling the book “fake news,” he has also not shied away from similar sentiments in the past, especially when it comes to cranking up grievance-fueled soundbites to eleven. As for General Milley, he has since handed in his resignation and probably checks his morning news alerts with more trepidation than the average former Joint Chiefs chairman ought to.
Just another quiet day in American politics where the lines between reality, performance art, and Revolutionary War reenactments continue to blur.