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Trump - TikTok

Molly Butler / Media Matters

“I smell a civil war”: Far-right TikTok users are alluding to violence following news of Trump’s indictment

Written by Olivia Little

Published 03/31/23 2:22 PM EDT

Violent reactions to former President Donald Trump’s indictment are rolling in on TikTok. The reactions range from allusions to violence to outright threats, despite TikTok’s community guidelines explicitly prohibiting “threats and incitement to violence.” 

“It’s about to be hell to pay. Watch,” said one TikTok user. 

Another user, who appears to self-identify as a Three Percenter, posted a photo of Trump with red eyes, writing, “BIG. FUCKING. MISTAKE.” 

Three Percenters (also known as III%ers or 3%ers) is an extremist militia movement whose name originates from the false claim that only 3% of Americans fought in the Revolutionary War. The Anti-Defamation League reports that since the movement's origin in 2008, Three Percenters “have engaged in significant criminal activity, including terrorist plots and acts.” 

Another self-identified Three Percenter posted a video asking his followers to unite, saying, “What is it going to take for us as Americans to unite and make this fucking government scared of us, because they’re not. And that’s the problem.” 

Another user posted, “It’s go time!!! They won’t know what hit them all! More is coming. Buckle up, buttercup.” In a different video, the same user posted, “I smell a civil war in the near future.” 

Some users were posting in anticipation of the indictment weeks prior. For example, one “patriot” wrote, “Hold on tight it’s about to get really bumpy!! This country is already burning, you just can’t see the smoke YET.” 

In the comment section of the video, one user wrote “I’m ready to kill” and the creator of the video responded, “I’ve been ready for some time now along with many more!”

"I'm ready to kill"

Reactions on TikTok mirror those on far-right forums like TheDonald, where users are threatening violence in response to Trump’s indictment. 

These videos are indicative of how we can expect far-right TikTok users to continue responding to the news of Trump’s indictment and further proceedings. TikTok has previously been used as a recruitment ground for far-right militias and organizations, which makes this content even more concerning.

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