The AP news agency has cited a federal court document as claiming that one of the men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer also threatened to execute President Donald Trump, his predecessors Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as other prominent US political figures.
An unsealed FBI search warrant affidavit argued that 44-year-old Barry Croft of Delaware posted the threats on his Facebook page in May and that one such post contained a caption to an image of POTUS that read: "True colors shining through, wanna hang this mf'er too!!!%"
Another Croft post mentioned former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who the 44-year-old insisted should be hung for "war crimes against humanity", according to the affidavit.
One more post reportedly included a photo of a noose and called for the hanging of Obama, "both Clinton's [sic], Democrats, Liberals, Muslims", as well as Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and "A.O.C.", an apparent reference to Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The affidavit was made public by AP after Whitmer accused Trump of "inciting domestic terrorism" for attacking her following the discovery of the alleged plot to kidnap the Michigan governor.
POTUS appeared to touch upon the issue during a campaign event in Michigan earlier this month, when he said, "It was our people that helped her out with her problem. I mean, we'll have to see if it's a problem. […] She blamed me, and it was our people that helped her. I don’t get it".
The president has targeted Whitmer several times, calling her "dishonest" and criticising Michigan's rules to stop the spread of COVID-19. His calls even drew shouts of "lock her up" from one rally crowd.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, for her part, revealed that seven members of the militia group "Wolverine Watchmen", contacted by the plotters, had been taken into custody.
They are suspected of targeting state law enforcement, conspiring to kidnap Whitmer, planning an attack on the state capitol building, and trying to "instigate a civil war".
