Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D) noted 12 of former President Trump’s tweets as part of her case charging Trump for his efforts to remain in power following the 2020 election.
The indictment lists more than 150 alleged acts that prosecutors say all contributed to a conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s election results, and a dozen of them comprised a Trump tweet.
Here’s a look at the tweets that are now part of Willis’s prosecution:
Tweets about Georgia Legislature hearings
Attorney John Eastman, the architect of a legal strategy aimed at keeping former President Donald Trump in power, talks to reporters after a hearing in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
In five of the posts included in the charging documents, Trump referenced hearings held by committees of Georgia’s state Legislature, at which Trump’s allies promoted unfounded claims of mass election fraud to convince them to overturn the results.
Several Trump attorneys who testified before state lawmakers now face charges of making false statements or soliciting a public officer to violate their oath, including Rudy Giuliani, Ray Smith and John Eastman.
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Trump himself did not travel to any of the hearings, but he repeatedly posted about them on Twitter — the platform now known as X — as they were taking place.
“Georgia hearings now on @OANN. Amazing!” one tweet read as a Dec. 3, 2020, hearing, the first of the three, kicked off.
Trump promoted false fraud claims discussed at the hearing about an hour later, tweeting, “Wow! Blockbuster testimony taking place right now in Georgia. Ballot stuffing by Dems when Republicans were forced to leave the large counting room. Plenty more coming, but this alone leads to an easy win of the State!”
The indictment also lists three tweets issued on Trump’s account during a Dec. 30, 2020, Georgia Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing about the election.
“Hearings from Atlanta on the Georgia Election overturn now being broadcast,” Trump wrote just after 9 a.m. “Check it out. @OANN @newsmax and many more. @BrianKempGA should resign from office. He is an obstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG! Also won the other Swing States.”
About an hour later, Trump again encouraged people to tune in, tweeting a link to a livestream of the hearing and writing, “Hearings from Atlanta on the Georgia Election overturn now being broadcast LIVE via @RSBNetwork!”
At 6 p.m., after the hearing concluded, Trump tweeted again, promoting his false claims of mass election fraud.
“We now have far more votes than needed to flip Georgia in the Presidential race,” Trump wrote. “Massive VOTER FRAUD took place. Thank you to the Georgia Legislature for today’s revealing meeting.”
Tweets pressuring top state officials
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during Georgia Chamber Congressional Luncheon at The Classic Center, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Four of the tweets outlined in the indictment relate to Trump’s pressure campaign on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), both of whom refused to declare Trump the winner of the Peach State.
“People in Georgia got caught cold bringing in massive numbers of ballots and putting them in ‘voting’ machines. Great job @BrianKempGA!’ Trump claimed in a Dec. 3 tweet without evidence.
Three days later, Kemp and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) issued a joint statement saying it would be unconstitutional for state lawmakers to name pro-Trump electors in light of Joe Biden’s victory in the state.
“Gee, what a surprise,” Trump tweeted that evening. “Has anyone informed the so-called (says he has no power to do anything!) Governor @BrianKempGA & his puppet Lt. Governor @GeoffDuncanGA, that they could easily solve this mess, & WIN. Signature verification & call a Special Session. So easy!”
Trump similarly called for a special session Dec. 14, the day that 16 pro-Trump individuals allegedly met in the state capitol and signed documents purporting to be Georgia’s valid electors.
“What a fool Governor @BrianKempGA of Georgia is,” Trump wrote. “Could have been so easy, but now we have to do it the hard way. Demand this clown call a Special Session and open up signature verification, NOW. Otherwise, could be a bad day for two GREAT Senators on January 5th.”
And Willis cited a tweet Trump sent after his infamous Jan. 2, 2021, call with Raffensperger, when he asked the secretary of state to help “find 11,780 votes.”
“I spoke to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger yesterday about Fulton County and voter fraud in Georgia,” Trump tweeted the next day. “He was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the ‘ballots under table’ scam, ballot destruction, out of state ‘voters’, dead voters, and more. He has no clue!”
Tweets pressuring Pence
Republican presidential candidate former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to fairgoers at the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
The final three Trump tweets listed in the indictment revolve around Trump’s pressure campaign against his vice president, Mike Pence, in the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The 98-page indictment at length discusses Trump and his inner circle’s alleged scheme to overturn the election results by submitting false slates of electors and leveraging Pence in his role presiding over the counting of the Electoral College votes as president of the Senate.
“The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors,” Trump claimed in a Jan. 5 tweet.
The indictment also lists two tweets on Jan. 6 itself, in the early morning hours.
“If Vice President @Mike_Pence comes through for us, we will win the Presidency,” Trump wrote. “Many States want to decertify the mistake they made in certifying incorrect & even fraudulent numbers in a process NOT approved by their State Legislatures (which it must be). Mike can send it back!”
Just after 8 a.m., when the former president’s supporters were gathering on the Ellipse for a rally at which Trump and multiple other defendants in the indictment spoke, Trump tweeted again:
“States want to correct their votes, which they now know were based on irregularities and fraud, plus corrupt process never received legislative approval,” Trump tweeted. “All Mike Pence has to do is send them back to the States, AND WE WIN. Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!”