Hawaii senator getting death threats after posts controversial tweet about Donald Trump
By Shanila Kabir
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HONOLULU (KITV) — A Hawaii state senator said he is receiving death threats after posting a controversial tweet this past weekend in opposition to presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The post has caught fire on social media.
“Most responses have been hateful. I suspect most of them are Russian bots,” said Hawaii Sen. Karl Rhoads.
Rhoads, a Democrat who represents Punchbowl, Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu and other neighborhoods, wrote the tweet. He said he stands by what he posted on “X” formally known as “witter.
Despite the backlash from the community, he said it is taking Trump’s theory of presidential immunity to its logical conclusion.
“This theory means the President of the United States, Trump or somebody else, can have someone assassinated. This idea is crazy but that’s the logical extreme and that’s what they’re litigating right now at the Supreme Court,” Rhoads said.
He reiterated that the tweet was meant as a question, not a threat. He said Donald Trump has a theory of “I can do whatever I want as president” which he believes mirrors Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“On the contrary, I just ask a simple question. If you take this theory to its logical conclusion, this is what you arrive at. If it’s what they really mean, it’s terrifying cause if Trump is re-elected, he’s going to start assassinating people like his hero, Putin. Putin just assassinated his most popular opponent,” said Rhoads.
Political analyst John Hart said this tweet aligns with the senator’s current bill in the legislature. Hart believes this should not incite any violence, just raise questions about what is happening at the Supreme Court.
Trump is asking for full presidential immunity in regards to the 2020 presidential election in which he is accused of trying to overthrow the results.
As for the death threats Rhoads has been getting, he plans to file a police report.
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