NBC’s Figliuzzi: Trump’s Base Includes ‘Growing Fringe Element’ — ‘Wants to Act Out Violently’

NBC News national security contributor and former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi said Monday on MSNBC’s “Deadline” that former President Donald Trump criticizing the investigations into his company was a security threat.

According to Figliuzzi, Trump’s words “inflames” people, who he said were a growing fringe element of his supporters who want to act out violently.

Anchor Nicolle Wallace said, “So, Frank, talk about what happens from the investigative side if the company is criminally charged today or later this week?”

Figliuzzi said, “I think there’s more coming. Let’s pay particular attention to what those charges are. Also, even the announcement, the public reporting that charges are coming, serves a purpose whether it’s intended or not for other people who have knowledge to think this may be the time. ‘I’d better come forward now.’ Let’s watch and see if there’s some evidence of other people coming in to cooperate if Weisselberg won’t.”

He added, “We need to watch from a security standpoint how Trump and his cohorts portray this to their base, whether they will use rhetoric that inflames people toward possible violence or further undermines our criminal justice system.”

Wallace said, “Frank, you just mentioned a security concern, say more.”

Figliuzzi said, “Look, there’s a track record of attacking the investigators, attacking the prosecutors. Anytime you do that, there is this sadly, a growing fringe element in our society that wants to act out violently because they seem to be so loyal to this former guy that when they think he’s being unfairly attacked they act out.”

He added, “He seems to not only relish that but does nothing to contain that by saying, ‘I don’t mean you should be going and hurting people, that you should be attacking the courthouse or people’s homes.’ So this is a track record. I think we should get concerned about that. I think the people responsible for security in and around the D.A.’s office in Manhattan and the courthouse need to understand that kind of intelligence gathering is needed right now because they’re going to start to inflame people.”

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