Senate Republican says Washington Post op-ed suggested ‘open rebellion’ against US

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) announced Wednesday that he sent a letter to officials demanding answers to an op-ed published by The Washington Post that he said suggested an “open rebellion” against the U.S.

Vance sent the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a response to the Nov. 30 column written by a Post contributing editor Robert Kagan, which warns readers, “A Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable,” and, “We should stop pretending.”

“Based on my review of public charging documents that the Department of Justice has filed in courts of law, I suspect that one or both of you might characterize this article as an invitation to ‘insurrection,’ a manifestation of criminal ‘conspiracy,’ or an attempt to bring about civil war,” Vance’s letter said.

Kagan argued that former President Trump will be the Republican presidential nominee, and disapproving Republicans will fall in line.

“Votes are the currency of power in our system, and money follows, and by those measures, Trump is about to become far more powerful than he already is,” Kagan wrote.

Kagan argues that a second Trump presidency is likely and the road to dictatorship is possible. 

In an announcement, Vance argued that Kagan’s piece said another Trump presidency would justify succession, treason and political violence.  

“According to Robert Kagan, the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency is terrible enough to justify open rebellion against the United States, along with the political violence that would inevitably follow…” Vance’s announcement said.

Vance asked Garland and Blinken to respond to several questions by Jan. 6, 2024. He asked if the Department of Justice (DOJ) would open an investigation into Kagan, if the department agrees with the author that blue states like California and New York can “be free to flout the federal government.” Vance asked how the DOJ distinguishes between heated political rhetoric and evidence of a conspiracy, and if Kagan’s words might intimidate voters in the next election.

The Hill has reached out to Vance for further comment on his letter.

According to a spokesperson for the Post, the organization stands by Kagan’s “thoughtful essays.”