Thread by @majorityfm

#AMQuickie

On Fox News, Donald Trump makes it clear that he thinks his enemies deserve death at the hands of the state, no due process included.

#LEFTISBEST

Donald Trump added one final escalation to the politically fraught story of Michael Forest Reinoehl, a self-proclaimed anti-fascist who was suspected of the murder of a right-wing protester in Portland on August 29.

Last week, Reinoehl was shot dead by federal agents who arrived ostensibly to arrest him.

Reinoehl had previously admitted to the shooting of Trump supporter and far-right militant Aaron Danielson, claiming that the killing was in self defense

Police said their killing of Reinoehl was also justified, saying that he quote “produced a firearm” when confronted by officers.

But a witness to the shooting told WaPo that Reinoehl was just walking to his car when officers arrived and shot him without announcing themselves.

In an interview with Fox News on Saturday Trump said “This guy was a violent criminal, and the U.S. Marshals killed him. And I'll tell you something—that's the way it has to be. There has to be retribution."

This isn’t a surprising thing for the president to say, at this point. But let’s put it in a bit of a broader context.

Earlier in the interview Trump noted that he urged federal agents to quote “go get him,” endquote, referring to Reinoehl.

Federal agents did Trump’s bidding and gunned down Reinoehl in what were at best murky circumstances, at worst in complete cold blood.

Compare this to, say, the arrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old militia member who killed two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Rittenhouse was arrested peacefully and gently a day after the incident.

What Trump is saying here is that the standard of justice applies differently to violent actors on the left and the right.

Politically, Reinoehl was an enemy of the president. And Trump’s made it clear that he thinks his enemies deserve death at the hands of the state, no due process included.