"CRITICIZE AND IT'S JAILTIME"

When Donald Trump talks about “perceived” enemies, he's talking about anyone who dares challenge his narrative.

Yesterday, in a speech before the Department of Justice, Donald Trump laid out his latest thoughts on how the justice system should operate in this country. To no one's surprise, it was a classic Trump rant, but there was one detail that stood out above the rest: his call for the jailing of those he perceives as opponents. Perceived. That word matters.

Let’s break that down. When Donald Trump talks about “perceived” enemies, he's talking about anyone who dares challenge his narrative. It’s not about truth or justice ; it’s about what Trump believes to be true. Whether it is or not, that’s what matters to him. And anyone who dares to call out his lies or expose his corruption, well, they’re just his next target. Whether they deserve it or not, it doesn’t matter. All it takes is that one word: "perceived."

For those of us who have been in Trump’s crosshairs, this is nothing new. Take a walk down memory lane to when I wrote my NYT bestseller Disloyal. I’ve been warning the American people for years now; Trump will come after you, too. You don’t have to be a public figure or his former lawyer. You just have to be someone who dares to speak out. I know, because I’ve lived it.

The political retaliation Trump engaged in against me was not just personal; it was systemic, and as a judge determined, it was illegal. Judge Hellerstein, a man who doesn’t mince words, ruled that the actions taken against me by the DOJ under Trump’s orders were retaliatory and violated my First Amendment rights. They used the DOJ to silence me; plain and simple. Attorney General Bill Barr, in his usual fashion, made sure I wasn’t able to speak freely, especially when it came to my book Disloyal, A Memoir. Disloyal wasn’t just a challenge to Trump’s narrative; it was a “perceived” threat to him personally, and that was enough for the full weight of the DOJ to be used against me. 51 days of solitary confinement. Let that sink in for a minute or 73,440 minutes to be exact!

Now, fast forward to yesterday’s speech. Trump has been preaching this same rhetoric for years, but this time, the language is even more brazen. He’s not even trying to disguise it anymore. He’s openly calling for the jailing of anyone who dares defy him or his version of reality. Don’t like him? Jail. Question him? Jail. Write something that’s even remotely critical? Jail. As the first and, at this moment, only political prisoner ever held by our country because I refused to waive my first amendment constitutional right, it feels all too familiar.

This isn’t just about punishing political opponents, though. It’s about sending a message. A crystal clear message to everyone, to anyone who might think about stepping out of line. It’s a warning. And trust me, it’s not just directed at journalists or people with a platform. It’s for every single American. The moment you raise your voice, you become a target. And the weapon in Trump’s hands isn’t just the DOJ, it’s the entire weaponized government. I fought back, and I’m still fighting back, but that’s not something everyone has the privilege to do.

That’s why I speak out. That’s why I fight for accountability. Not just against President Trump; but against everyone who participated in the illegal scheme. The Attorney General, the Judge, the prosecutors, and even those who remained silent and permitted this to occur. Know this, it’s not just my battle; it’s everyone’s.

For more than five years ago, I have been warning America: What Trump and his enablers did to me, he and they can and will do to you. Their use of power to silence critics extends to anyone who dares to challenge him. And as we heard in yesterday’s speech, that’s still his agenda. The difference now is that, as I predicted, what was done to me was not just some isolated incident. It’s was the blueprint for how he intends to operate.

And let’s not forget Trump’s superpower; the ability to create a beach from a single piece of sand. I say this as there’s always a kernel of truth in the firestorm of nonsense Trump spews. The fact is, he’s not entirely wrong in his thinking; the media and some of his critics have often been downright reckless in their reporting and statements. Take the Russia investigation. The Steele dossier. My kompromat meeting in Prague. The lies, the half-truths, the complete fabrications that were presented as gospel. The media got it wrong in a huge way. And for me, the personal consequences were devastating. My life was torn apart by a torrent of falsehoods, spun out of control by a media frenzy that never cared to check the facts. And never retracted their mistakes either!

But here’s the thing. Trump doesn’t care about the truth. He’s not calling for accountability because of the wrongs that were done to him, to me, or to anyone else. He’s calling for accountability because his fragile ego can’t handle criticism. It’s not about seeking justice. It’s about revenge. He weaponized the DOJ to take me down, and now, he’s telling everyone else; follow my rules or suffer the same fate. Jail isn’t just for criminals. It’s for anyone who dares to write something Trump doesn’t like, or make a point he doesn’t agree with.

And what’s even more stunning is that where were the Democrats, Republicans, and the press when this was happening to me? They all stood by, too afraid or disinterested to speak up, too afraid to act. They allowed this to go on unchecked. In some cases with the media, they were complicit. Now that it is their asses on the line, they speak up. They demand protection. Where were the calls for accountability when it was just me? Where was the outrage?

The truth is, there was none. And now, as we look at the state of affairs today, we see the result of their complacency. We see the way Trump has normalized using government power to silence opposition. Maybe now they will listen to me as I continue the narrative that if we don’t stand up now, if we don’t demand accountability now, then you all risk becoming the next target. And trust me, you don’t want to be there.

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