U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche recently revealed to the press that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer could be investigated for “encouraging assassination attempts” against U.S. President Donald Trump due to her past use of an “86 45” emblem. This sparked outrage among Michigan residents, many of whom believed the claim was completely out of line.
The term “86” is often used in the service industry, such as in restaurants, to indicate that someone or something should be removed. It can refer either to a disruptive customer or to an item that is out of stock and should be taken off the menu. As Trump has been both the 45th and 47th President of the United States, these numbers could allegedly be interpreted as a call to “remove” him.
Recent reports indicate that the Justice Department indicted former FBI Director James Comey for posting a photo of “86 47” made out of seashells last year. During a press conference following the recent attempt on Trump’s life, Blanche said that other threats against the president could be investigated as well. When asked about Whitmer, who was accused by Trump’s 2020 campaign of “encouraging assassination” after using the “86 45” emblem, Blanche did not rule out the possibility, saying that “every case is different,” but he did not explicitly deny it either.
Michigan Residents Criticize Possible Investigation Against Whitmer
This response caused quite an outrage among Michigan residents on Reddit’s r/Michigan, who believed it was inherently unfair. One user called it “transparently stupid. ‘86’ can mean get rid of. I’ve seen people ‘86-ed’ from a bar. At no point did the bouncer come after them with a sawed-off shotgun.”
Others lashed out at Trump and Blanche, saying, “We are governed by dangerously powerful, emotionally fragile men.” The Republican Party was also criticized, with one user claiming that “Republicans are absolutely the thinnest-skinned babies and should never be taken remotely seriously.”
What seemed to anger most locals was what they saw as the hypocrisy of Republicans. “MAGA literally has ‘86 46’ merch out there. It’s still available. This is total bullshit and another example of Trump’s continued weaponization of the DOJ to prop up his massive ego,” one user said. Another argued that when Trump posted “about Senator Slotkin and other congress members should be tried for treason and that being punishable by death, that’s fine too.”
At the moment, it feels very unlikely that Whitmer will ever be indicted by the Justice Department, but Blanche not outright denying the possibility has certainly angered many in Michigan.
