Elliot Forhan, a Democratic candidate for Ohio attorney general, is under fire from Republicans and fellow Democrats after posting a video on social media saying: “I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump. I mean I am 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. That is what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump.” The remarks have drawn widespread condemnation as inflammatory and dangerous, even as Forhan doubled down on his intent to hold Trump accountable “to the fullest extent of the law.”

In a follow-up statement to the Dayton Daily News, Forhan stood by the language: “I am running for Ohio attorney general to apply the law equally to everyone, including the rich and the powerful. Including the U.S. president. 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. That is the approach that any good Democratic candidate should take. There is nothing shameful about that.”

Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, the GOP frontrunner for attorney general, called the comments “vile” and unfit for the office: “My Democrat opponent for attorney general just came out and said he wanted to kill President Trump. That kind of vile comment makes it clear that Elliot Forhan is not qualified to be attorney general.”

Democratic rival John Kulewicz, a Columbus-based lawyer, also condemned Forhan: “The comments today from my potential primary opponent are disgraceful. The AG is the chief law officer of our state, a serious responsibility, not a political game. The AG must take the law and judicial process seriously.”

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde distanced the party from Forhan while taking a swipe at Faber: “We’ve seen a lot of shameful comments from candidates in both parties running for AG over the last few days, luckily John Kulewicz would be a principled and strong AG who would take the law seriously and fight to keep Ohioans safe.”

The outrage amplified after resurfacing a prior post where Forhan reacted profanely to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Others accused Democrats of normalizing political violence, pointing to similar past rhetoric from figures like Virginia AG candidate Jay Jones.

Forhan has refused to retract or apologize, framing his comments as a commitment to equal justice under the law. The backlash has intensified scrutiny on the Democratic primary, with critics arguing Forhan’s inflammatory language disqualifies him from serving as the state’s top law enforcement officer. The race to replace outgoing Republican AG Dave Yost in November 2026 is heating up, and Forhan’s post has given opponents ample ammunition to paint him as extreme and unfit for the role.