| New reporting from CNN details how Thomas Smith’s business Twitter account “amplif[ied] a post that appeared to raise the possibility of the death penalty for political opponents of President Donald Trump.”
CNN reports that Smith reposted a message addressed to Trump saying to “do whatever it takes to take our country back from those who sought to have it destroyed.” The post said “there are traitors within who deserve to be put on trial for treason” and asked, “what’s the punishment for treason again?”
NOTABLY: “A person convicted of treason can be punished by death” – and Smith refused to disavow this comment or clarify that he opposes political violence.
CNN detailed more of Smith’s extreme, disturbing posts:
- “Smith repeatedly amplified birther-style rhetoric, including a repost in September 2024 calling the Biden administration an ‘evil Kenyan-run White House’”
- “Posts in which Smith said he had been awakened before dawn with a message from God for conservative radio host Dan Bongino”
- “One racist repost that Smith shared urged the deportation of the ‘Somali infestation’ of America.”
- “Smith reposted a message that read: ‘Islam is a cancer that has no place in our Christian nation.’”
- “On August 2 — two days before the Republican primary, when Smith had already suspended his campaign but remained on the ballot, the account posted, ‘why is pedophilia wrong on Epstein’s island but not in Islam?’”
DCCC Spokesperson Katie Smith:
“Thomas Smith is a dangerous extremist who amplified posts implying execution for opponents of Donald Trump and then refused to disavow political violence. Smith cheers on and stands with criminals, and is not fit to represent Michigan.”
Read more:
CNN: The salsa account of a surprise GOP nominee amplified a post implying execution for alleged Trump ‘traitors’
- A Republican congressional nominee in a closely divided Michigan district deleted social media accounts containing thousands of posts that include a yearslong pattern of inflammatory and conspiratorial rhetoric — including amplifying a post that appeared to raise the possibility of the death penalty for political opponents of President Donald Trump.
- A CNN KFile review of some 13,000 archived posts from Smith’s now-deleted accounts uncovered a substantially broader pattern of far-right rhetoric than previously reported, including repeated accusations of treason, attacks on Muslim Americans and Islam, birther-style conspiracy theories about Barack Obama, and posts in which Smith said he had been awakened before dawn with a message from God for conservative radio host Dan Bongino.
- That shift underscores the potential that Smith’s digital history — largely erased from public view after his unexpected nomination — could loom over a race Democrats might otherwise have struggled to hold.
- One of the starkest examples came in February 2025. The account, JarHeadSalsa, named for the Flint salsa business Smith owns with his son, reposted a message addressed to Trump: “Do whatever it takes to take our country back from those who sought to have it destroyed.”
- “There are traitors within who deserve to be put on trial for treason,” the post added. “What’s the punishment for treason again?”
- A person convicted of treason can be punished by death or be imprisoned for no less than five years.
- Smith repeatedly identified himself by name on both JarHeadSalsa accounts as the operator.
- One racist repost that Smith shared urged the deportation of the “Somali infestation” of America.
- On three consecutive days in May 2024, he wrote that he had been “awakened at 4:30 AM with a message from God for Dan Bongino.” The message, addressed to the conservative broadcaster who later became deputy FBI director, told Americans of different races that they were “brothers and sisters in Christ” and was signed simply: “God.” Smith posted versions of it again weeks later.
- Smith’s posts at times reflected an intense interest in precious metals and mining stocks. Over nine days in February 2025, he posted at least 30 times about Barrick Gold. He tagged dozens of accounts as he urged administration officials and others to help the Canadian mining company move its corporate domicile to the US, including five times to a non-verified account styled as Trump’s granddaughter Kai: “Kai, Can you get this info to your Grandpa.”
- Around the same time, Smith asked gold advocate Peter Schiff for investment advice, writing: “60% of my nest egg is in gold silver or copper mining stocks, am I okay?”
- Two weeks before the Capitol attack, Smith urged others to join him in DC: “Having millions of supporters surrounding the Capitol will be epic. The left needs to see what they are up against.” Sixteen months later, in April 2022, he cited on Truth Social his own presence there to vouch for what happened: “I was there on Jan. 6th and I agree. The Capitol was surrounded before Trump quit speaking.”
- The February 2025 post suggesting Trump opponents be punished for treason was hardly the only time Smith’s account amplified accusations that political figures were traitors.
- In July 2024, he reposted a message declaring that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer “is a traitor.” Last November, after several Democratic lawmakers urged service members to refuse illegal orders, Smith’s account reposted a message calling Rep. Maggie Goodlander a “traitor.” Days later, it amplified another calling for Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, to be stripped of his rank and court-martialed for sedition.
- He also shared numerous reposts accusing former President Barack Obama of treason, including one labeling him a “Shadow President.” Another declared that “Treason charges are coming,” tagging Obama and adding “you are f**ked,” while asking whether he ordered Trump to be assassinated. Another repost on Truth Social called former Rep. Eric Swalwell treasonous and for him to be jailed.
- Smith repeatedly amplified birther-style rhetoric, including a repost in September 2024 calling the Biden administration an “evil Kenyan-run White House” — an apparent reference to Obama and the long-running false conspiracy theories that he was born in Kenya and that he secretly ran the Biden White House.
- In December 2025, Smith reposted a message that read: “Islam is a cancer that has no place in our Christian nation.” Five weeks later, he shared another from the same account calling to “Eliminate every demonic violent liberal terrorist and deport the corrupt Somali infestation from American soil.”
- In May 2024, Smith reposted a debunked image falsely purporting to show Rep. Ilhan Omar at an al Qaeda training camp, alongside a post denouncing “Satan’s evil Islam” and telling “Patriots” to circulate it.
- Some of the anti-Islam rhetoric came directly from Smith’s account rather than through reposts.
- On August 2 — two days before the Republican primary, when Smith had already suspended his campaign but remained on the ballot, the account posted, “why is pedophilia wrong on Epstein’s island but not in Islam?”
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