Donald Trump Compares His Rhetoric to Eminem's "Violent" Lyrics in Capitol Riots Lawsuit

In a recent filing to dismiss a lawsuit over the January 6th Capitol riots, Donald Trump and his legal team have drawn a comparison between the former president's rhetoric and the "violent" lyrics of rapper Eminem.

The lawsuit, filed by Rep. Bennie Thompson, accuses Trump and far-right groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers of conspiring to obstruct Congress from certifying the 2020 election results. Trump is appealing an initial dismissal attempt, arguing that his January 6th speech falls under protected political expression.

To bolster their case, Trump's lawyers likened his rhetoric to controversial rap lyrics, citing past Supreme Court cases where violent lyrics were deemed artistic expression and not incitement.

Referencing Eminem's song "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" without explicitly naming the Detroit rapper, Trump's team wrote: "A rapper rockets to the top of the charts for his aggressive, provocative lyrics that become wildly popular nationwide, particularly among angsty teenagers. He is ranked as one of the most controversial lyricists of all time. Many of his lyrics describe explicit violent acts, including gun violence, rape, and a description of the rapper drowning his wife."

They argued that despite some lyrics suggesting the work is not intended to encourage actual violence, "other lyrics suggest the contrary" - drawing a parallel to Trump's January 6th speech, where he called on supporters to protest "peacefully and patriotically."

"Nothing in President Trump's speech even came close to the far more incendiary language that the Supreme Court has held to be protected as a matter of law," the filing stated.

Meanwhile, Eminem is no fan of the former president. The rapper made a rare public appearance at Kamala Harris' rally in his hometown of Detroit during the 2024 election, voicing support for a future where "these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld."

Eminem has previously been critical of Trump, famously ripping him in a 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards freestyle and on his ninth studio album "Music to Be Murdered By."

It remains to be seen how the court will rule on Trump's attempt to dismiss the Capitol riots lawsuit. But the comparison to Eminem's "violent" lyrics is sure to raise eyebrows, as the two figures have taken starkly different stances on the importance of free speech and political expression.