Donald Trump became the center of criticism, again, after posting a video on his social media site, namely, Truth Social, of President Joe Biden bound securely on the back of a pickup truck that was just passing by.
The video, uploaded on Friday, has once again raised the issue of political violence and elections with less of 64 days left for the presidential elections. Shot in Long Island, New York, the distributed video is of a pickup truck with pro-Trump signs and flags on the highway
. The second truck clearly displays an image of Biden to whom his hands and feet have been tied behind him leaving the campaign and social media users talking.
Michael Tyler, a spokesman for Biden’s campaign, criticized Trump for inciting violence all the time.
In case of January 6th Capitol storming, Tyler used it a proof of consequences of Trump’s rhetoric saying that it should be taken seriously.
On the back, the Trump’s campaign defended the video, arguing that it was merely a passing truck and accusing Democrats of inciting violence against Trump and his family.
Such controversial images echo through most of social media sites, and many users can’t help but react with awe and horror. In raging tweets, Twitter erupted with condemnation of Trump’s behaviors. Hashtags such as #StopPoliticalViolence and #RespectTheOffice soon stormed the various social media platforms, with major impact on the global stage.
Even as the criticism arose, legal authorities commented on the probable consequences of Trump’s actions, discussing the borderline between free speech and incitement to violence. The scholars of constitution pointed out the significance of the public holding the persons in public office to account for their words and actions, specifically in the charged political atmosphere.
The storm emerges in the crucial phase of the presidential campaign, and Trump is expanding his rhetoric and using even more provocative methods to unite his ranks.
According to Republican critics, the president’s tactics, including sharing the image of a hog-tied Biden, are an example of how the political climate continues to worsen and violate the democratic norms in the process.
The reaction of the Biden campaign exemplifies the strong polarization of American politics and the high tensions that are brewing around the approaching election.
In the aftermath of this controversary, the call for social media platforms to take strict measures against hate speech and the mobilization of violence is growing. Activists and advocacy groups along with the platforms like Truth Social are requesting removal of the video, and more urgency in prevention of dangerous content.
