A past social media post by Donald Trump advocating for the suspension of the U.S. Constitution resurfaced on Monday night, reigniting outrage and condemnation. In December 2022, Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to further promote the “Big Lie”—the baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him—and used it as justification for extreme measures.
He wrote, “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” Trump further claimed that the nation’s Founding Fathers would never condone “False & Fraudulent Elections.”
At the time, as Axios reported, Trump’s post came in the wake of Elon Musk’s release of information regarding how X, then known as Twitter, managed access to a story about Hunter Biden. The post caused immediate controversy, but it has taken on new life after being widely reshared on Monday.
Democratic strategists and prominent social media influencers quickly pounced on the resurfaced post. David Corn, Washington D.C. bureau chief of Mother Jones and MSNBC analyst, posted a screenshot on X, writing, “Yet again, Donald Trump calls for suspending the US Constitution so he can be restored to power. Will this be front-page news?”
Democratic strategist Keith Boykin amplified Corn’s post, adding, “Trump calls for the termination of the US Constitution. Yes, in the same Constitution, the president must take an oath to ‘preserve, protect and defend.’ A presidential candidate threatening to terminate the Constitution is dangerous and disqualifying and should not be normalized.”
The account “Republicans against Trump” also weighed in, acknowledging that while the post is old, the media should still address it. “He should be asked about it at the debate,” the account tweeted. This renewed focus on Trump’s call to suspend the Constitution underscores the ongoing concerns many have about his commitment to democratic principles, especially as he remains a prominent figure in American politics.