I often read semantic arguments in comments here about why TFG’s acts throughout his term were not “technically” treason. The argument is that we have to be in a war for an act to be treason.
However, former U.S. Army prosecutor Glenn Kirschner says he would go so far as calling Trump’s acts on January 6th treason. I think he makes a pretty compelling case. Yesterday, April 20, 2022, on his daily video called “Justice Matters” Kirschner quoted Rep. Raskin from The Guardian interview , then read the definition of treason.
18 U.S. Code § 2381 - Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
Kirschner describes what put it over the top for him:
What happened as the Capitol was being attacked? What happened as the Capitol was under siege? Person after person after person streamed through the Oval office … and everyone tried to get Donald Trump to call off the attack, the attack that was in progress, including his own daughter. They sent Ivanka in there multiple times to try to get her father to call off the attack and condemn the violence and he wouldn’t. Why? Because he wanted to violently stop the transfer of Presidential power. Friends, that sure sounds like someone who is levying war against the United States. And that’s why Donald Trump needs to be accountable, up to and including treason, because justice matters.
Kirschner has me convinced. I had similar thoughts about TFG’s actions during the violence. The violent siege on our Capitol, when the whole Congress was inside, surely looked like a war. It was descibed by the Capitol Police as being a battle. So I’m not going to water down my language regarding the attempted coup that culminated on January 6, 2021 (and is still going on). And what TFG did was treason.
I’m looking forward to what the January 6 Committee will be presenting in the public hearings. Rep. Raskin promises to bring us a clear picture of TFG’s role. From The Guardian article:
“It’s what the political scientists call a self-coup … It’s a president fearful of defeat, overthrowing the constitutional process,” Raskin said.