Governor of Michigan Didn’t Call for Trump’s Murder
The Claim
Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for President Donald Trump's murder.
News posted on
Emerging story
During an October 18, 2020 interview with NBC, Governor Gretchen Whitmer displayed an “8645” sign in the background.
Many social media users, including the Trump campaign, claim that this means she is advocating for Trump’s murder.
Misbar’s Analysis
Whitmer has been a targeted figure amongst Trump and his supporters, largely due to her firm pro-mask stance. She has also been a proponent of impeaching and imprisoning the president, accusing him of inciting domestic terrorism. During her interview with NBC, in the background there was a pin with the numbers 8645 on it. This number is common in anti-Trump impeachment merchandise.
However, while some people have interpreted it as advocating for assassinating the president, it seems much more logical that Whitmer was simply calling for getting rid of Trump in the upcoming presidential election.
The term “86” is used in the service industry, and “45” refers to the 45th president. The true origins of 86 are disputed, although it was at least spread via soda fountains in the 1930s. In industry slang, it means that the restaurant is that a certain item is out of stock. In casual slang, it means to put something out of stock, i.e. remove it.
An email from Whitmer’s political team wrote of the accusations: “The silly season is officially here. It’s pretty clear nobody in the Trump campaign has ever worked a food service job.”
Despite what Urban Dictionary says, there’s no evidence to suggest that Governor Whitmer was advocating violence against the president.
