Biden Blames Trump ‘Liberate Michigan’ Tweet For Whitmer Kidnapping Attempt

Biden told reporters during a trip to Arizona that he had spoken with Whitmer about the attempt, and asked whether he thought Trump tweeting “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” amid right-wing protests against Whitmer in April encouraged such militias, Biden responded, “yes, I do.”

“Why won’t the president just say ‘stop. stop, stop, stop,” Biden asked, calling such militias a “genuine threat” and stating “the president has to realize the word he utters matter.”

An affidavit filed by the FBI on Thursday alleges the six men charged with planning to kidnap Whitmer espoused similar rhetoric to that of the anti-lockdown protesters, musing about a “society following a U.S. bill of rights where they could be self-sufficient.”

The men are also said to have called Whitmer a “tyrant,” with Adam Fox, the leader of the group, asserting, “She fucking goddamn loves the power she has right now… she has no checks and balances at all. She has uncontrolled power.”

The affidavit alleges the men planned the kidnapping between June and October, after Trump tweeted to liberate Michigan and publicly feuded with Whitmer over coronavirus relief funds.

Some conservatives have argued that the men are not Trump sympathizers, noting that the report makes little mention of any stated partisan allegiance and pointing to a video revealing one of the men has an anarchist flag on his wall.

“President Trump has firmly and consistently condemned white supremacy, fringe groups, and racism in any form,” Trump campaign spokesperson Samantha Zager told Forbes, adding that Whitmer’s safety is “thanks to law enforcement.”