Calls for resignation mounted over the weekend against North Carolina Democratic Rep. Julie von Haefen after she shared a disturbing image on social media that critics say promotes violence against President Donald Trump.
The image, posted during the “No Kings” protest in Raleigh, showed a bloody guillotine with a prop handle symbolizing a decapitated Trump.
The sign’s message read, “In these difficult times, some cuts may be necessary.”
Von Haefen’s post praised the protest’s turnout, drawing sharp rebuke from Republicans and conservative voices across the state.
Von Haefen later removed the offending image from a video she had posted but did not apologize.
She said in a Facebook statement, “I condemn political violence in all forms,” emphasizing her commitment to unity and condemning extremism following the violent shootings in Minnesota that left a state legislator and her husband dead.
Despite her statement, critics noted her initial social media praise for the protest, which featured hashtags supporting the “No Kings” movement.
Republican Rep. Erin Paré called out von Haefen, stating, “This is a sitting state legislator who is publicly applauding the beheading of President Trump just hours after a state legislator and her spouse were murdered in cold blood.”
The Republican Party of North Carolina echoed these concerns Sunday morning, saying political violence “should be condemned, not encouraged.”
Rep. Chris Humphrey added, “Some people hate a duly elected leader, who won by landslide, more than they love America.”
As of Sunday, top state leaders, including Gov. Josh Stein (D), House Speaker Destin Hall, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, had yet to issue public statements regarding the controversy, according to Just the News.
Von Haefen, a three-term lawmaker and certified Guardian ad Litem, has emphasized her community involvement through various parent-teacher organizations.
She holds law licenses in Ohio, Arizona and California.
The “No Kings” protests, which inspired von Haefen’s original post, were staged across the nation in response to President Trump’s celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
More than 1,700 protests were reported nationwide, including 27 in North Carolina.
Many of the protests were organized by Democrats, who also supported federal vaccine mandates for certain workers and implemented school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The party’s 2024 presidential primaries resulted in the nomination of Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
In the 2024 election, Trump won decisively, capturing over two million more votes and sweeping all seven swing states with a unanimous 93-0 Electoral College margin.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Democratic Party has refrained from directly addressing von Haefen’s controversial post.
Instead, party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton issued a separate statement following the deadly shooting in Minnesota, offering condolences and broadly condemning politically motivated violence.
Von Haefen’s social media accounts have drawn attention as well.
While her campaign’s Facebook page remains active, her account on X has now been deleted
The controversy comes amid heightened tensions nationwide following several politically motivated violent incidents.
Von Haefen’s critics argue that elected officials should avoid any language or imagery that could be interpreted as endorsing violence, especially in such a volatile climate.
