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Maddow blog-Trump finds yet another foreign 'witch hunt' involving one of his political allies
There’s a through line between the president’s pardons and his intervention in the Jair Bolsonaro, Marine Le Pen and Benjamin Netanyahu cases.
There’s an underappreciated through-line between Trump's pardons and his intervention in the Jair Bolsonaro, Marine Le Pen, and Benjamin Netanyahu cases:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-07-08T20:09:49.703Z
He’s convinced a “witch hunt†is any effort to hold people he likes accountable. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-finds-yet-another-foreign-witch-hunt-involving-one-political-all-rcna217519
For the third time in three months, Donald Trump has identified a foreign ally facing legal trouble. And also for the third time in three months, the American president has condemned the foreign case as a “witch hunt.” As Politico reported, the latest example involves Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro.
“Brazil is doing a terrible thing on their treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro,” the Republican wrote in a message published to his social media platform. “I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year! He is not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE.”.....
If the message sounded familiar, it wasn’t your imagination.
In April, Marine Le Pen, a prominent far-right politician in France, was caught up in an embezzlement scheme involving E.U. funds. A French judicial panel examined the evidence and agreed to ban Le Pen from ever seeking elected office again.
Trump was not at all pleased with the developments. In fact, while the American president admitted that he didn’t know Le Pen or understand the details of the underlying controversy, the Republican nevertheless said the case against her was a “witch hunt” launched by “European Leftists,” adding that she was “probably” innocent.
In an odd online rant, Trump concluded, “FREE MARINE LE PEN!”
Last week, he did it again, condemning the corruption case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as — you guessed it — a “witch hunt” that he wants to stop. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Trump wrote, “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State. ... THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!”
As with the other two cases, Trump condemned the allegations of wrongdoing, not because of evidence pointing to Netanyahu’s innocence, but because the American president believes the Israeli prime minister is an ally and “a WARRIOR.” In fact, at no point in his online harangue did Trump even question the charges against the prime minister on the merits.......
Niceties such as guilt, evidence, justice and the integrity of the legal system are all fine and good, as far as they go, but for the incumbent Republican president, a “witch hunt” is any effort to hold people he likes accountable for alleged wrongdoing.
The next time he claims to care about “law and order,” be sure to read the fine print: We’ve arrived in an era in which justice isn’t supposed to be applied to those who act and think like Trump does.
President Donald Trump is coming to the defense of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro as he faces a trial for his role in trying to overturn the results of his country’s 2022 election. Bolsonaro is accused of participating in a plot to prevent the return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the presidency of the largest nation in South America, an attempt that echoed Trump’s own earlier efforts to stay in office despite losing an election.
“Brazil is doing a terrible thing on their treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro,” the Republican wrote in a message published to his social media platform. “I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year! He is not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE.”.....
If the message sounded familiar, it wasn’t your imagination.
In April, Marine Le Pen, a prominent far-right politician in France, was caught up in an embezzlement scheme involving E.U. funds. A French judicial panel examined the evidence and agreed to ban Le Pen from ever seeking elected office again.
Trump was not at all pleased with the developments. In fact, while the American president admitted that he didn’t know Le Pen or understand the details of the underlying controversy, the Republican nevertheless said the case against her was a “witch hunt” launched by “European Leftists,” adding that she was “probably” innocent.
In an odd online rant, Trump concluded, “FREE MARINE LE PEN!”
Last week, he did it again, condemning the corruption case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as — you guessed it — a “witch hunt” that he wants to stop. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Trump wrote, “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State. ... THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!”
As with the other two cases, Trump condemned the allegations of wrongdoing, not because of evidence pointing to Netanyahu’s innocence, but because the American president believes the Israeli prime minister is an ally and “a WARRIOR.” In fact, at no point in his online harangue did Trump even question the charges against the prime minister on the merits.......
Niceties such as guilt, evidence, justice and the integrity of the legal system are all fine and good, as far as they go, but for the incumbent Republican president, a “witch hunt” is any effort to hold people he likes accountable for alleged wrongdoing.
The next time he claims to care about “law and order,” be sure to read the fine print: We’ve arrived in an era in which justice isn’t supposed to be applied to those who act and think like Trump does.
Dictators have to stay together. If you are a dictator, then in trump's world, you are innocent