MSNBC’s Jason Johnson Predicts Wave of MAGA-Fueled Violence After Trump Leaves Office: ‘Will Make This Past Summer Look Like a Picnic’

MSNBC political analyst Jason Johnson ominously warned that the violence seen in Washington, D.C. over the past weekend will only intensify in the coming months, as MAGA extremists revolt over Donald Trump losing the White House.

Keying off the hundreds of right-wing Proud Boys that marched in the nation’s capital on Saturday— and the four stabbings that resulted — Johnson told Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace and co-panelist Donny Deutsch to expect more of the same in the near future.

Wallace prompted Johnson by reading a David Ignatius column in the Washington Post that noted the “rage in [House Republican] districts among grassroots GOP voters who believe without evidence that the system is rigged and the election was stolen by Biden.”

“This is just the beginning,” Johnson predicted in response to Wallace. “You still have Proud Boys who are marching through Washington D.C. and tearing down signs. The moment that Donald Trump is out of power, these groups will become more unhinged. The Republican Party is full of individuals, even if they don’t believe the things at the core, are willing to placate and play with and galvanize these kinds of organizations.”

“I think we’re heading into an even darker period,” he warned. “Because if you don’t have somebody at the head of this sort of collection of ants running in and out of this insane ant hill of MAGA and nonsense of white nationalism, if there’s no one to control them, if Donald Trump doesn’t have anybody around him to say ‘Hey, look this is a good idea or bad idea,’ they will only get worse. He’ll sit and stew and watch television every day and think about the fact he’s not on Saturday Night Live anymore, thing about the fact that nobody cares about him and that will enrage him and the other people supporting him. I think the Republican party is in for real soul-searching but right now a lot of them are still committed to Donald Trump and the violence we’re going to see in the coming months will make this past summer look like a picnic. I’m not happy about that. I’m not enthusiastic about that but that’s what I see happening and the violence we’re seeing in the streets right now is just a preview.”

As Wallace stepped in to wrap up the discussion, however, Deutsch interrupted to respond to Johnson.

“Quick last word,” he pleaded. “The Proud Boys are the — this is still not where the core of the country is. We cover it and it makes news but this is not who we are. This is the fringe, the very, very, very edge of the fringe.”

“It is! It is exactly who we are!” Johnson shot back. “We’re talking Portland, we’re talking the Midwest, and these people are empowered every minute of every day that they hear senators deny the legitimacy of Joe Biden getting into office. They’re not being crushed down. Their being empowered. Look at the two people running for the January 5th [Georgia] runoff. This is not the end. It the beginning.”

“Let’s see. We will watch,” Deutsch responded.

Watch the vidoe above, via MSNBC.