A retired Army officer known as President Donald Trump’s “Secretary of Retribution” since compiling a “Deep State Target List” against Trump’s perceived enemies, sparked fresh outrage last week after promoting violence against four Democratic mayors who were summoned to testify before Congress about their immigration policies.
However, Ivan Raiklin, a self-made far-right political operative, found himself on the receiving end of backlash from MAGA supporters, who accused him and the new administration of failing to swiftly take down the so-called “deep state” — a fictional liberal-controlled shadow government.
In the latest MAGA-generated controversy, Raiklin posted remarks on X calling for the arrest of several Democratic mayors of so-called sanctuary cities that have become hubs of the U.S. immigration crisis.
In the post, Raiklin shared video of Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins and other leaders scolding the panel of Democrats — including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams — during an intense March 5 hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“One of you said you’re willing to go to jail; we might give you that opportunity, good mayor,” Higgins fumed at Johnston, the Denver mayor, as lawmakers accused them all of not completely aligning with Trump’s get-tough policies on immigration.
During another fiery moment, Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna declared that she intended to refer the four mayors to the Department of Justice for prosecution while holding up papers that she said would be delivered to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Raiklin escalated the controversy by suggesting the mayors should be jailed immediately while seeming to call for an insurrection if they were not.
“If these mayors are not arrested, WeThe People will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with government,” Raiklin wrote alongside the footage, prompting swift backlash from liberals but garnering a wave of support from conservatives.
By Friday evening, two days after Raiklin’s comments went viral, the post had racked up over 50,000 views, nearly 900 reshares, and 168 comments, while his following on X surged to nearly 235,000.
Raiklin’s sway over Trump’s more extreme followers stems from his background as a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former Defense Intelligence Agency civilian, combined with his relentless enthusiasm, prolific social media activity, and hypermasculine persona.
Responses to Raiklin’s post on X ranged from calls for vigilante justice and violence, while some advocated extrajudicial measures resembling sovereign citizen tactics.
“I suggest we organize and go to war against our government like our forefathers did,” one X user wrote.
“I am ready, Ivan!” another X user wrote. “You make the call and millions will follow. Our patience are running increasingly thin [sic]. For me, I’ll give it 6 months max.”
Another user wrote: “I didn’t suffer for four years to hear empty promises. The first [arrest] might be the hardest, but they get easier as you go. Let’s get going. Be like a serial killer and become a serial arrester.”
One person put it simply: “I miss lynch mobs.”
One user shared a meme of George Washington alongside a fabricated quote that read, “Me and my homies woulda been stacking bodies by now.”
From the commentary, it wasn’t hard to tell that many in the MAGA world were banking on chaos over the issue.
“A real insurrection is still possible,” another person wrote.
The extreme rhetoric was ceaseless: “We the people have the right to form and exercise trained militias. Now is the time for these militias to be on standby awaiting deployment.”
While not directly addressing the comments under Raiklin’s post, the FBI stated to Raw Story that it “takes all potential threats seriously” and collaborates with law enforcement partners to assess credibility, share intelligence, and take appropriate investigative action.
“As always, we encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,” the statement continued.
Some commenters went so far as to question whether even Trump and Raiklin were truly serious about following through on their promises to take legal action against political opponents.
“They’re not going to be, Ivan,” wrote a user with the screen name “Truth Seeking Vet.” “I’m afraid POTUS ‘made a deal’ with the demonrats to get back into Office. I hope and pray I’m wrong, but time will tell.”
Most of the arguments relied on false pretexts, speculation, and conspiracy-driven narratives, where Raiklin himself became a target.
One user accused Raiklin of being an infiltrator secretly aligned with Democrats and federal law enforcement. Another person criticized Raiklin for his claim last year that all he needed to arrest Trump’s enemies was a team of sympathetic prosecutors, sheriffs, and volunteers.
Comments about Trump administration officials were just as harsh, with one user dismissing FBI Director Kash Patel as a “disappointment” and another mocking Border Czar Tom Homan, stating, “If Tommy Boy doesn’t have it in him, Trump needs to get someone who can do it.”
Other voices expressed frustration with AG Bondi for what some saw as a lack of decisive action against sanctuary mayors.
Trump’s Justice Department has sued Chicago Mayor Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul over state and local laws restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Pritzker dismissed the lawsuit as “garbage,” while Hochul called it “worthless.”
Meanwhile, Raiklin remains closely tied to Trump and Republican lawmakers, using hardball political tactics to keep the MAGA base fed with steady helpings of red meat — making him a vital asset to Trump’s power base beyond the seat of government.
Raiklin’s close association with Rep. Higgins was evident in a photo he posted on X last July, showing them clasping hands outside Fiserv Forum during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Raiklin sits on the board of directors of America’s Future, a nonprofit headed by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who previously led the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency under President Barack Obama and briefly served as Trump’s national security advisor.
Raiklin and Flynn co-hosted an America’s Future awards ceremony at Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 18. Then, on March 7, Raiklin posted a video from the event on X, tagging Trump to thank him for “opening up Mar-a-Lago” to Flynn’s group.
Trump never responded.
