Ohio AG Candidate Faces Backlash After Vowing to 'Kill Donald Trump'

Democrat candidate Elliot Forhan drew swift bipartisan condemnation after posting a social media video in which he said he would "kill" President Donald Trump by seeking the death penalty if Trump were convicted of a crime.

In the video posted on Facebook on Tuesday, Forhan, a former Ohio state representative and attorney general candidate, said he meant securing a conviction "by a jury of his peers" and then pursuing Trump's execution through what he described as due process.

"I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump," Forhan said.

"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," he continued.

The remarks ricocheted through Ohio's 2026 statewide races, with Republicans calling the language dangerous for a contender seeking to lead the state's top law enforcement office.

Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber, a Republican running for attorney general, responded by accusing Forhan of reckless rhetoric and arguing the Democrat is unfit for the job.

Other Republicans amplified the criticism and urged prominent Democrats, including gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, to denounce Forhan's remarks publicly.

Jay Edwards, a former Ohio state Representative who is running for state treasurer, wrote on social media: "I'm outraged by Democrat Attorney General Candidate Elliot Forhan's unhinged video where he declares 'I am going to kill Donald Trump' — dressed up in legal jargon about trials and capital punishment."

He added, "This isn't clever; it's a deranged fantasy from someone seeking Ohio's top law enforcement role."

GOP leaders in the legislature echoed the calls for condemnation as the controversy spread across social media and conservative media outlets.

Forhan's statement came amid heightened scrutiny of political threats and violent rhetoric nationwide.

The past year has included high-profile acts of political violence, including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a campus event in Utah in September 2025 — an attack that prompted broad condemnation and renewed debate over public officials’ responsibility to temper their language.

The episode also drew attention to the practical and legal realities of capital punishment in Ohio.

The death penalty remains legal in the state, but Ohio has not carried out an execution since July 2018, and Gov. Mike DeWine has repeatedly delayed scheduled executions as the state struggles to obtain lethal injection drugs.

Supporters of the death penalty, including some state officials, have urged lawmakers to authorize additional methods, while opponents argue the system is costly, unevenly applied, and prone to error.

Forhan is no stranger to controversy. During his single term in the Ohio House, Democrat leaders disciplined him and stripped him of committee assignments and other privileges following an internal investigation into allegations of abusive and intimidating conduct toward colleagues and staff, allegations he has disputed. He later lost his bid for reelection.

Ohio's attorney general race will be decided in 2026, with a May primary and November general election.

The office oversees criminal appeals and consumer protection, advises state agencies and plays a major role in multistate litigation.

Forhan said in a statement that he is running for Ohio attorney general to "apply the law equally to everyone," including Trump.

"If Donald Trump tries again to end American democracy, then as Ohio attorney general I will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law," Forhan said.

"On the other hand, the views expressed by my Republican opponent in a recent op-ed are no more than those of a simple Trump thug," he added, saying that Trump "does not believe in the truth or the rule of law."

Forhan said Trump "asks Ohioans to disbelieve what they saw with their own eyes, that an ICE officer killed Renee Good without justification, shooting her twice in the face after he was clear of her vehicle."

He noted that Faber said in response to this incident that "in Minneapolis, ICE agents were doing their jobs,'" adding, "Was the ICE officer who shot Alex Pretti 10 times doing his job? No. ICE is not enforcing the law."

Forhan claimed that immigration officials "are breaking the law. Mr. Faber is telling Ohioans that, if elected, he will let Trump get away with murder. Ohio voters should take Mr. Faber at his word."