During the 2024 campaign cycle, President Donald Trump made over 100 threats to his adversaries. Now that he’s back in office, many believe the president will actually follow through with prosecuting his enemies big time. And already, he’s flexing his political muscles to do so.
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From attacks aimed at former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris to threats to Former Rep. Liz Cheney and a Black U.S. Capitol police officer, Trump has made his hit list very clear. Now, we’re giving you the tea on some of the many folks Trump has vowed to go after and exactly how we even got here.
Former President Joe Biden
Ever since losing to former President Joe Biden in 2020, Trump has continued to blast him and his family, even calling for Biden to be “arrested for treason.” Trump said he would “appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family.” This, on top of constant allegations of corruption and treason inside the Biden camp resulted in the former president pardoning his family. Trump later suggested it was a mistake that Biden didn’t pardon himself, according to The Hill.
NY Attorney General Letitia James
Ever since N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James brought a fraud lawsuit against Trump, she’s been on his hit list. In Nov. 2023, Trump accused James of fraud, adding “She should be prosecuted!” Then again in 2024, he told a rally crowd the AG should be “arrested and punished.” Now, the Trump administration has opened a formal investigation into James, the Albany Times Union first reported. Trump also has appealed the fraud case judgement, which would cost him half a billion dollars, according to CBS News.
Attorney Jack Smith
Special Counsel Jack Smith– the same man who brought two cases against Trump– is now being investigated by the Office of Special Counsel for alleged “unprecedented interference in the 2024 election,” NBC News reported. Many in Trump’s camp, like Ark. Sen. Tom Cotton have tweeted against Smith. “Jack Smith’s legal actions were nothing more than a tool for the Biden and Harris campaigns,” Cotton wrote on X. “This isn’t just unethical, it is very likely illegal campaign activity from a public office.” Smith resigned from his position one week before Trump’s second inauguration.
Former FBI Director James Comey
In 2017, Trump famously fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Many Democrats claimed it was because Comey was reportedly investigating links between Trump and Russia, but the administration said “a fresh start is needed,” according to BBC. This led to Trump calling Comey an “untruthful slime ball,” in a Twitter rant. He accused Comey of lying to Congress and “leak[ing] CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted,” Trump wrote.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris
Outside of his attacks to former Vice President Kamala Harris ethnic identity, intelligence and leadership ability, Trump has also gone after her for her role in the immigration crisis. He’s previously called her the Southern “border czar,” suggesting Harris “should be impeached and prosecuted” for her role in the so-called “invasion” into the U.S. by undocumented immigrants.
Former Trump Attorney Michael Cohen
Remember when Michael Cohen, the former attorney for Trump, turned on him and testified in his notorious hush money trial? Well, Trump hasn’t forgotten about it either! In fact, the president said his former ally “should be prosecuted for lying.” He also accused Cohen of being responsible for “all of the tumult and cost he put the D.A.’s Office through.” Since then, Cohen has remained a critic of his former client.
Former President Barack Obama
Trump’s plot against Former President Barack Obama goes all the way back to the false birtherism conspiracy suggesting Obama is not an American citizen. Over the years Trump has perpetuated the theory, which many have said was born out of racism and xenophobia. Nevertheless, Trump recently shifted his attacks on Obama to allegations of treason. As we previously reported, Trump has outwardly called for Obama’s arrest for his alleged role in the Russian interference scandal of 2016.
NY Judge Arthur Engoron
During a Jan. 2024 campaign event, Trump set his sights on Arthur Engoron, a New York trial judge. According to him, Engoron’s role presiding over his fraud case in New York is grounds for him to “be arrested and punished accordingly.”
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
When former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s email scandal shocked the nation, Trump infamously said “Lock her up!” Over the years since then, Trump hasn’t slowed down on his calls to have the former secretary jailed, although he’s never acted on them. “Wouldn’t it be terrible to throw the president’s wife and the former secretary of state… into jail?” Trump told Newsmax in 2024. “It’s a terrible, terrible, path that they’re leading us to and it’s very possible that it’s going to have to happen to them.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg
After being convicted in May 2024 for 34 felonies in the hush money scandal , Trump told reporters “there is a case to be made” against the N.Y. attorneys who prosecuted him. To be specific, Trump said, “That the prosecutor should be prosecuted — the district attorney should be prosecuted,” referring to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi
As one of the many politicians who never shied away from criticizing the president, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has become the target of Trump attacks. In 2024, he called her “a bad, sick woman.” He added, “She’s crazy as a bedbug.” Trump has also said Pelosi “could’ve gone to jail” after ripping up a copy of Trump’s State of the Union address from 2020.
Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman
Former N.Y. Rep. Jamaal Bowman is no stranger to controversy. In 2023, he made headlines after pulling a Capitol Hill fire alarm during a government shutdown vote. That led Trump to call for him to face an obstruction of Congress charge. “It was a very dangerous ‘Obstruction of an Official Proceeding,’ the same as used against our J-6 prisoners,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Actually, his act may have been worse. HE MUST SUFFER THEIR SAME FATE. WHEN WILL HIS TRIAL BEGIN???”
Former Rep. Liz Cheney
In the growing list of Republicans against Trump, former Wyo. Rep. Liz Cheney endorsed VP Harris over Trump in the 2024 presidential election cycle. In March 2024, Trump took to Truth Social to declare Cheney “should go to jail.” A couple months after that, Trump added fuel to the fire, reposting a message declaring that Cheney is “guilty of treason.” Just days before the November election, Trump said, “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her.”
U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd
On Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd shot and killed Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt after she attempted to break into the Speaker’s Lobby. Even though Byrd was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Justice Department, Trump has since called for him to be prosecuted. “Ashli Babbitt was murdered,” he wrote on Truth Social. He also called Byrd a “thug” and a “coward.”
Former Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci
On the same day Trump took office in Jan. 2025, he shockingly removed security clearances from 51 former intelligence officials and took away security details for many of his opponents, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was previously the Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden. He also accused Fauci of committing “crimes against humanity” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, Trump said Fauci should be met with legal action.
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