Former US president Donald Trump on Friday appeared to threaten people going “after him” a day after his arraignment in a Washington federal court over his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
“If you go after me, I'm coming after you,” he posted in all capital letters on his Truth Social platform.
It was not clear whether Mr Trump was speaking to his political opponents in the 2024 election or witnesses and prosecutors involved in the criminal cases against him.
Inflammatory language from Mr Trump is far from new, but he is now in a precarious situation, as he faces a number of criminal charges amid a tightening presidential campaign.
He is currently the leading candidate for the Republican Party's nomination, but the campaign field is crowded.
The former president has also previously threatened elected Republicans by saying that those that do not show enough support for him and his campaign against “Democratic fraud” should be “primaried”.
On Thursday, Mr Trump pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges over his allegedly leading a plot to overturn the 2020 election results, including his role in the deadly January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol.
The charges were brought by independent special counsel Jack Smith, who is also leading another case in which Mr Trump is accused of obstruction of justice and other charges over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Appearing in court in both federal cases, Mr Trump was advised not to speak with anyone who may be a witness.
In addition, a New York judge requested that Mr Trump and others avoid inflammatory rhetoric during an arraignment in a case involving hush-money paid to an adult film star in 2016.
Mr Trump went on to call the district attorney an “animal”, among other insults.
The former president may also soon face criminal charges in a Georgia case over alleged election interference.
