Dehumanizing and Threatening Rhetoric Toward Political Opponents: From 'Lock Her Up' to 'Vermin'
Tier 3Ongoing2016-07-01 to 2026-04-09
Factual Summary
Throughout his political career, Donald Trump has directed threatening, dehumanizing, and eliminationist rhetoric at political opponents, government officials, and perceived adversaries. This rhetoric has escalated over time, moving from campaign rally chants to public suggestions that political enemies deserve imprisonment or death.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump encouraged and amplified crowd chants of "Lock her up" directed at Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, suggesting she should be imprisoned over her use of a private email server as Secretary of State. The chant became a signature feature of Trump rallies and continued through subsequent campaigns. While Trump occasionally characterized the chant as crowd enthusiasm rather than a serious policy proposal, he also stated during a presidential debate with Clinton, "You'd be in jail," when discussing what would happen if he were in charge.
On February 5, 2018, Trump called Democrats "un-American" and "treasonous" for not applauding during his State of the Union address. Speaking at an event in Blue Ash, Ohio, Trump said: "Even on positive news, really positive news, like that, they were like death and un-American. Un-American. Somebody said treasonous. Yeah, I guess, why not? Can we call that treason? Why not?" The U.S. Constitution defines treason narrowly as levying war against the United States or giving aid and comfort to its enemies. A White House spokesman subsequently said the comment was "tongue in cheek."
Trump gave Representative Adam Schiff the derisive nickname "Pencil Neck" and used it repeatedly in public statements and on social media. He also referred to Schiff as "Shifty Schiff" and publicly demanded his prosecution.
In September 2023, Trump posted on Truth Social that retired General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had committed "an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!" Trump was responding to reports that Milley had made calls to his Chinese counterpart during the final days of Trump's first term to reassure China that the United States would not launch a military attack. Milley stated publicly that he had taken measures to protect his family's safety in response to Trump's statement.
On November 11, 2023, in a Veterans Day speech in Claremont, New Hampshire, Trump vowed to "root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections." He posted the same language on Truth Social, confirming the phrasing was deliberate. Historians drew direct comparisons to the rhetoric of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, both of whom used the word "vermin" to describe political opponents and targeted populations. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of authoritarianism at New York University, noted that "calling people 'vermin' was used effectively by Hitler and Mussolini to dehumanize people and encourage their followers to engage in violence." Trump's campaign spokesman responded by calling critics "snowflakes" and stating their "entire existence will be crushed."
Trump also advocated violence against Liz Cheney, stating in November 2024 that she should face "nine barrels shooting at" her, language that invoked execution by firing squad directed at a former Republican congresswoman who had served on the January 6th committee.
Primary Sources
1. C-SPAN and rally transcripts documenting "Lock her up" chants, 2016 through 2024
2. NPR: "Trump: Democrats 'Un-American,' 'Treasonous' During State Of The Union," February 5, 2018
3. Trump Truth Social post regarding General Milley, September 2023
4. Trump Veterans Day speech, Claremont, New Hampshire, November 11, 2023, and corresponding Truth Social post
5. Trump statement regarding Liz Cheney, November 2024
Corroborating Sources
1. Washington Post: "Trump calls political enemies 'vermin,' echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini," November 12, 2023
2. CNBC: "Trump and GOP Rep. Gosar suggest Joint Chiefs boss Mark Milley deserves death," September 25, 2023
3. CNN: "Mark Milley says Trump disrespected US military with execution comment," September 28, 2023
4. Axios: "Trump campaign defends 'vermin' speech amid comparisons to fascist leaders," November 13, 2023
5. Military Times: "Milley says he'll ensure family safety after Trump's execution remark," September 28, 2023
Counterarguments and Context
Trump's supporters have argued that his rhetoric is hyperbolic and should not be interpreted literally, noting that political invective has a long history in American politics. The White House characterized the "treasonous" comment about Democrats as tongue-in-cheek. Supporters contended that Trump's criticism of Milley reflected legitimate concerns about civilian control of the military and that the "death" reference was rhetorical rather than an actual call for violence. Regarding the "vermin" language, Trump's campaign dismissed the comparisons to fascist dictators as overwrought and argued that critics were deliberately mischaracterizing the president's intent. Defenders noted that Trump was describing what he viewed as genuine threats to national security rather than targeting opponents for their political views. Critics, including historians, national security officials, and members of both parties, have argued that the cumulative pattern of rhetoric, which has escalated from rally chants to public suggestions of execution for political adversaries, represents a departure from democratic norms and carries real-world consequences, as evidenced by Milley's need to take protective measures for his family's physical safety.
Author's Note
This entry is classified as Tier 3 because every statement documented here was made on the record, in public speeches, on social media, or in broadcast interviews. The rhetoric is not alleged or second-hand but is preserved in video, audio, and text. This entry documents the pattern of rhetoric as a category of behavior rather than any single incident, and it focuses on language directed at political opponents and government officials rather than at protesters or members of the public, which may be documented elsewhere.