The back-and-forth between President Donald Trump and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer heightened this weekend, as both Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden made swings through the state.
While Biden told a crowd in Southfield there is no better governor in the country than Whitmer, Trump spoke in front of a crowd chanting "lock her up" as he said the governor needs to open the state, and the schools. Notably, districts are open or closed at their own discretion based on local school administrator decisions.
"Lock 'em all up," Trump said, responding to the chant.
Later, on "Meet the Press" Sunday, Whitmer, who was the target of an alleged kidnap plot, called for an end to the fiery rhetoric. And the Trump campaign, and other supporters of the president, said the 8645 emblem visible on her desk was a code calling for assassination of the sitting president.
"Whitmer is encouraging assassination attempts against President Trump just weeks after someone sent a ricin-laced package to the White House," said a tweet from a verified Trump campaign account, adding, "86 can be shorthand for killing someone."
The numbers set off a debate on social media about whether they actually meant something ... and if so, what? Some thought she was trolling the president, others thought it meant nothing.
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The governor has not yet weighed in on the accusation that she called for killing the president during an appearance where she called for peace, though some blated Trump to the the New York Times for the "lock her up" chant at his Michigan rally.
"She was literally just targeted,” Lee Chatfield, the speaker of the Michigan House and a leading state Republican, said of Whitmer. “Let’s debate differences. Let’s win elections. But not that.” Chatfield later cast blame at Whitmer for the numbers, possibly on a sticker, visible during her Meet the Press interview.
Chatfield tweeted, "Last night, I said the “lock her up” chant was wrong. And I believe that. Well today, the Governor encouraged more hate by having an “8645” pin. (Attack? Kill?) This doesn’t help. This is wrong too. You can’t have your cake and eat it too when it comes to civility and respect."