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PULSE POINTS
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ohio Democrat Attorney General candidate Elliot Forhan stated in a campaign video that he would “kill Donald Trump” by securing a capital punishment conviction against him in court.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Elliot Forhan, President Donald J. Trump, Ohio GOP Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio GOP Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and Auditor Keith Faber.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The video was posted on Forhan’s campaign Instagram account on Tuesday, with reactions following shortly after and into Wednesday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m going to obtain a conviction, rendered by a jury of his peers, at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, based on evidence, presented at a trial, conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process, resulting in a sentence, duly executed, of capital punishment. That is what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump.” – Elliot Forhan
🎯IMPACT: The statement has drawn backlash from political figures and social media users, with calls for accountability and condemnation of violent rhetoric.
IN FULL
A Democrat candidate for state attorney general in Ohio is facing intense pushback and possible legal repercussions after posting a campaign video where he stated that he would “kill Donald Trump.” In the video, Elliot Forhan—a former member of the Ohio legislature—states he would successfully prosecute President Donald J. Trump for unspecified crimes and secure a death sentence.
“I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump,” Forhan bluntly states in the video, continuing, “I mean I’m going to obtain a conviction, rendered by a jury of his peers, at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, based on evidence, presented at a trial, conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process, resulting in a sentence, duly executed, of capital punishment. That is what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump.”
A number of social media accounts quickly tagged the United States Secret Service (USSS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), demanding that federal law enforcement treat the post as a threat. Notably, Forhan drew controversy last year following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. “F-ck Charlie Kirk,” Forhan wrote in a post on social media at the time.
BREAKING: Elliot Forhan, Democrat Candidate for Ohio Attorney General, says he’s going to kiII President Trump through capital punishment
🚨🚨🚨 @secretservice @fbi pic.twitter.com/Suofbyme9i
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 27, 2026
Forhan, who briefly represented Cuyahoga County in the 135th Ohio General Assembly from 2023 to 2024, developed a reputation for being radical and outlandish. Ohio’s current Republican Attorney General Dave Yost previously slammed Forhan’s comments about Kirk, saying, “No public servant should say that about any human being, much less somebody who was just assassinated. He just proved himself to be a petulant and undisciplined child, ill-suited to public office.” Ohio GOP Secretary of State Frank LaRose also condemned the remarks, calling them “probably demented publicity designed to get attention” and “score cheap political points.”
Forhan responded to the backlash, claiming his “thoughts and prayers” were with Kirk’s family and loved ones but accusing Yost and LaRose of “glorifying the racism and bigotry” of the Turning Point USA founder and called for their resignations.
Current Ohio Auditor Keith Faber is the favorite to secure the Republican nomination for Ohio Attorney General and to win the general election.
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