Trump could face criminal charges as Arizona prosecutor launches probe into Cheney comment
Donald Trump's comments in Arizona on Thursday drew attention for their violent rhetoric — now they could be drawing legal trouble.
12News in Phoenix reported Friday afternoon that Attorney General Kris Mayes announced an investigation into the comment as it could constitute "a death threat under Arizona's law."
"I have already asked my criminal division chief to start looking at that statement, analyzing it for whether it qualifies," she said while taping an episode of "Sunday Square Off" for the network.
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"I'm not prepared now to say whether it was or it wasn't, but it is not helpful as we prepare for our election and as we try to make sure that we keep the peace at our polling places and in our state," she continued.
Trump said Thursday that Cheney was a "war hawk" and should face the barrels of guns in a war zone.
Some are interpreting Trump's full comment as suggesting a firing squad for Cheney.
"She's a radical war hawk. Let's put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let's see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face," Trump said, according to 12News' citation.
"This is how dictators destroy free nations," Cheney replied on social media. "They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant."
According to the report, it's illegal to threaten or intimidate a person under Arizona law, and it can be charged as a Class 1 misdemeanor or a Class 6 felony.
Trump tried to clarify his comments on Truth Social Friday.