OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Conservative commentator and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino has given Donald Trump some legal advice of sorts ahead of the former president’s arrest and booking in a Fulton County, Ga., jail later Thursday.
Bongino said on Wednesday that when Trump is booked and taken before a judge, he should refuse a bond and force District Attorney Fani Willis to put him behind bars, adding during his daily radio show that these “crazy times” called for “different, crazy, bold approaches.”
“Folks, I don’t think the Trump team should post the bond. I don’t,” he began. “This may sound like a crazy idea, but folks, we’re living in crazy times. And crazy times require different, crazy, bold approaches.”
“Fani Willis wants to be a smarta** tyrant, little socialist communist like she is down in Fulton County, Georgia? Don’t post. Don’t post the bond,” Bongino, also a former NYPD officer, continued. “You’re gonna jail him? Let’s elect our first political prisoner. Go ahead. Go to jail. Let the Secret Service shut the entire jail down, and we’ll see how long you’re willing to keep this charade going.”
“Let them put him in jail for a bit — folks, I know it sounds crazy,” he added, saying that the Secret Service had the authority under federal law to declare anything a protected area — even a jail — and that if the former president were to spend any time there, they would have to do that.
“You may think it’s a crazy idea,” he said again, adding, “I don’t think so. Folks, you’ve seen people around the world take a stand like this. And it’s easy for me to say, I get it, I wouldn’t be the one in a prison cell — but you want to send a message? Let’s see, let’s see what happens.”
The talk host and former Fox News personality said that if Trump were to be jailed, Americans should protest outside the facility every day. “Make them put you in jail and make them show America their a**es and show America who they really are. And let’s see how long this lasts,” he said, adding that “the eff around and find out time has long since passed.”
WATCH:
Dan Bongino (@dbongino) makes a GREAT point on why it might be a good idea for President Trump NOT to post bail.
Put on the pressure!
Take a listen: pic.twitter.com/xUmWjNHII7
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) August 23, 2023
Bongino has reacted strongly before to legal actions taken against Trump. A year ago, after Joe Biden’s FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, he appeared on Fox News to rail at the administration for taking the unprecedented step.
During an interview on network colleague Jesse Watters’ “Primetime” program, Bongino went ballistic on the Biden administration and the Justice Department, which he accused of becoming highly politicized in recent years, describing the raid as “third-world bullshit.”
“This is some third-world bullshit right here,” Bongino said. “Let me say it again, third-world bullshit. I mean every word of that. I don’t care that it’s cable news.
“I was a federal agent, I raised my right hand. And I swore to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. And I love this country. This is a freaking disgrace. A disgrace. We don’t live in Cuba. We don’t live under Kim Jong Un” of North Korea, he continued.
“We live in a constitutional republic. A representative democracy. You have a bunch of FBI agents raiding the home of a former president because they don’t like his politics? Are you kidding me?” he added.
“This is some third-world garbage that happened tonight,” he continued.
Following the raid, Trump said that it was political in nature and meant to keep him from running again in 2024.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said. “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before. After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”
