Internet divided as Trump accuses Fani Willis of stoking 'racial animus’, seeks her removal from case

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Former President Donald Trump's legal team rejected Fulton County DA Fani Willis's assertion that her "playing the race card" speech, delivered on January 14, did not target the defendants in the Georgia election fraud case, reported New York Post.

In a court filing on February 2, Willis admitted to having a "personal relationship" with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired to investigate the former president's election interference case in Georgia.

On Wednesday, February 7, Trump's attorneys claimed her denial of the racially charged speech was "preposterous and disingenuous at best, and an outright lie at worst."

The ex-president's legal team echoed their demand of removal of the Fulton County DA from prosecution, saying her public statement "intentionally and in bad faith injected race, religion, and politics into the case and stoked racial animus."

Hours after she acknowledged the romantic relationship with Wade, Trump went into a Truth Social rant slamming the DA and "THIS SCAM IS TOTALLY DISCREDITED & OVER!" referring to the case against him.

What did Fani Willis say in the controversial speech?

According to a report by The Independent, Willis made the speech on Martin Luther King Jr Day at Big Bethel AME Church, a historic Black church in Atlanta. This was her first public address regarding the allegation.

"They only attacked one. The first thing they say, 'Oh, she's gonna play the race card now,'" the DA said without naming special prosecutor Wade. "But no God, isn't it them that's playing the race card when they only question one?" she added.

She also added that "they" attacked only one of the three special counselors she appointed. "Some will never see a Black man as qualified, no matter his achievements," the DA stated.

Claiming Willis's speech was racially prejudiced, Trump's legal team wrote in the filing, "Who else would the DA be repeatedly and predominantly referring to in her use of the words 'they' and 'them' and 'themselves' other than the defendants via disparagement and condemnation of their defense counsel."

Following the public statement, the former president's attorneys insisted on Willis's removal from the prosecution and requested the dismissal of the case against their client.

Internet reacts

Netizens had mixed reactions to the latest developments in the case. While some supported Trump, another group claimed the former president was wrong.

One user on X said, "He’s right." Another user remarked, "I agree."

While one user on Facebook commented, "He lies everytime he opens his mouth." A second user wrote, "Sorry but President Trump is wrong in this instance, especially considering his personal track record with relationships."

"She is way more corrupt than what she is accusing Trump of she should be taken off the case and removed from office !!!!" another user remarked.

A fourth user mocked the ex-president, saying, "Trump using the race card." Whereas another one added, "So now he's going to tell her what she did. Pure caucasity."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.