Threatens a “rough July” if RNC doesn’t straighten out “rigged” rules

Speaking in April 2016 after days of railing against the GOP delegate process, Trump warned that there would be a “rough July” at the Republican National Convention if party leaders did not “straighten out” what he called a “rigged” system, suggesting that his supporters’ anger could explode if insiders denied him the nomination despite his delegate lead. By casting basic party rules as illegitimate and hinting at unrest if they stood, he escalated the pressure on the RNC and deepened his pattern of treating any check on his power as proof that the system is corrupt.

“I hope it doesn’t involve violence, and I’m not suggesting that. I hope it doesn’t involve violence and I don’t think it will. But I will say this: it’s a rigged system, it’s a crooked system, it’s 100% crooked.” — Mid-April 2016 remarks on the GOP primary trail, after Colorado and ahead of the New York primary, warning of a “rough July” at the Republican National Convention if the RNC did not fix what he called a rigged delegate system Quote verified against source