Trump is laying kindling.

As he ramps up talk of “rigged elections,” “invasions” at the border, and “fighting like hell,” the country inches toward something darker than political division.

Since January 2021, more than 300 acts of political violence have been recorded nationwide, with over 50 in the first half of 2024 alone. Federal data shows threats against election workers, judges, and lawmakers rising each month.

Trump’s rhetoric isn’t abstract.

Before January 6, he told supporters to “fight like hell” or “you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Today, that language persists—now layered with calls to “lock and load,” promises of “retribution,” and boasts about deploying troops to American cities without state approval.

This is not normal political speech.

In Los Angeles this spring, violent clashes erupted around ICE protests. Masked demonstrators. Burning vehicles. Tear gas in downtown streets. Trump responded not with calls for calm—but by praising federal force and urging more. Over 2,000 National Guard troops arrived—without the governor’s request.

And the militias are listening.

Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Boogaloo groups—all born from Trump’s era—speak openly of “civil war,” “1776,” and “taking back” the country. Many participated in January 6. Many remain armed and ready.

Meanwhile, Trump’s Department of Justice has shifted thousands of agents from counterterrorism to immigration enforcement—over 10,000 arrests last year. Critics warn this tilt undermines true national security, prioritizing political theater over actual threats.

The result? Dissent is reframed as insurrection. Protest is painted as war.

Polls show fewer than 5% of Americans support violence to achieve political goals. But in a nation of 330 million, 5% is a powder keg. And Trump’s words pour gasoline.

Is he calling for civil war outright? No.

Is he stoking grievance, glorifying force, and signaling to armed followers? Without question.

This is a campaign built on menace. Trump doesn’t need a civil war—he needs chaos, fear, and enough violence to delegitimize defeat or justify power grabs.

The match is in his hand.

How long before he strikes it?