1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I write to you with grave concern about the escalating violent and dehumanizing rhetoric coming from former President Donald Trump, which I believe is contributing to political polarization, incitement, and real danger to our democracy. I urge you to speak out and act to set clear norms and boundaries so that political disagreement does not descend into political violence. Below are some statements from Trump that illustrate the seriousness of the issue: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” — During protests in Minneapolis in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder. “If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, OK? Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.” — Rally in Iowa, February 1, 2016. “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” — A boast made during the 2016 campaign. Praising the assault of a reporter: “Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my guy!” referring to Representative Greg Gianforte, who had physically assaulted a journalist. These are not isolated incidents or stray misstatements. They form part of a pattern: normalizing violence, demeaning opponents, encouraging aggression, and blurring the line between political dispute and physical threat. When a political leader repeatedly speaks this way, it lowers norms everywhere. It implicitly gives permission for people to treat opposition—not as fellow citizens—but as enemies. We’re seeing real repercussions: increasing hate speech, rising threats against public officials, media, and ordinary citizens; armed intimidation at polling places or protests; distrust in institutions; and politically motivated violence. The January 6th attack on the Capitol is the clearest example of how rhetoric turns into action when unchecked. What I ask from you, as my representative, is: - To publicly condemn violent and dehumanizing political rhetoric, regardless of party allegiance. - To support or introduce legislation that holds individuals accountable for incitement—especially when rhetoric turns into real harm or threats. - To demand that our political discourse be rooted in respect for democracy, rule of law, civil debate, and nonviolence. We cannot continue down a path where political disagreement is met with threats, where persuasion is replaced by intimidation, or where violence is heralded as acceptable. Please help restore the norms that protect everyone—our political opponents, our media, our neighbors. Our democracy depends on it. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I hope to see leadership on this from you.