Former President Donald Trump’s expected court appearance in New York on Tuesday has led to a modest outburst of online threats featuring calls for violence but US officials say the chatter has been disorganized, sporadic and lacks the coherent planning that defined the lead-up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Any signs of a spike in violent rhetoric or evolving potential threats are filtered through federal channels at the Department of Homeland Security and FBI, which are in regular contact with the New York Police Department as it makes security preparations for Trump’s arraignment in a Manhattan courthouse, a senior US official familiar with the planning told CNN.
“We’re definitely not ruling anything out and staying vigilant,” the official told CNN. “But we don’t see any active specific, credible plotting.”
Still, current and former US national security and law enforcement officials interviewed by CNN are wary that far-right extremists are now more likely to use encrypted communications to plan their next move, rather than public message boards. These officials don’t want to make the mistake of underestimating the potential for political violence, as critics accused federal and state and local law enforcement of doing prior to January 6.
“The really sophisticated actors wouldn’t likely be talking in public forums anyway,” the senior official said.
Trump initially called for protests when he first posted about his potential arrest two weeks ago, but he hasn’t called specifically for supporters to come to New York on Tuesday since it was confirmed that he would be indicted.
The New York Young Republican Club is organizing a demonstration near the court on Tuesday. A previous protest by the group in the area was poorly attended. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, says she will…
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