Editor and publisher of the left-leaning German newspaper Die Zeit Josef Joffe has said that “murder in the White House” could be a way to end the “Trump catastrophe” on a German television programme.
Mr. Joffe made the remarks on an episode of “Presse club” on the public broadcaster ARD during a segment which featured calls from viewers.
One female caller asked the panel if it was possible for the Americans to impeach the newly inaugurated president to end what she called the “Trump catastrophe.”
The first person on the panel to answer the caller was Constanze Stelzenmüller, a former editor of Die Zeit and a fellow at the Brookings Institution in the United States. She said, “There has to be a qualified two-thirds majority of the Senate in order for a removal of office to take place,” adding, “These are politically and legally pretty high hurdles, a lot would have to happen for it, we’re far away from that.”
While Ms. Stelzenmüller was speaking, Mr. Joffe — who is also a member of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University — interrupted saying, “Mord im Weißen Haus zum Beispiel,” which translates to, “murder in the White House for example.”
Breitbart London contacted the U.S. Secret Service regarding the comments. The Secret Service has confirmed to Breitbart London that they are aware of the video and statement in question.
Joffe and his paper have been overwhelmingly anti-Trump as have most mainstream German publications. Editor-in-chief of Die Welt Ulf Poschardt, which is considered the equivalent of the Times of London, wrote that Germany should oppose President Trump by being, “more multicultural,” and “more gay” though later changed “gay” to “creative” after a backlash online.
It is unknown if the remarks will spark any investigation from police in Germany. The law which saw comedian Jan Boemermann brought up on charges of “insulting a foreign head of state” after he insulted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be applicable.
The current government, however, has already said it intends to reform or abolish the law in the near future after public outrage at the possibility of a court date for the comedian and prosecutors dropped the case in October.
Free speech for men and women who criticize migrants and the migrant policy of the government has been severely cracked down upon in Germany during the course of the migrant crisis. Several people have had their homes raided for having “illegal opinions” regarding migrants and asylum seekers.
Recently in Austria, a gun freedom advocate was convicted of hate speech for saying that Islam was “at war” with the west.
Raheem Kassam contributed to this report