Former President Donald Trump claimed in an interview with Fox News that he never said “lock her up” in regards to former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. 

Former President Donald Trump denied ever calling to jail his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton in an interview with Fox News. https://t.co/JzKuDq6Dwh pic.twitter.com/QH6FjCjitR

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) June 2, 2024

Verdict: False

This claim is false. Trump has said the phrase before, mostly during his 2016 campaign run.

Fact Check:

Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his trial in New York City, according to NBC News. He has suggested that there may be a “breaking point” for the public depending on the punishment he is sentenced to, the outlet reported.

Trump claimed in an interview with Fox & Friends that he never said “lock her up” in regards to Clinton. The clip shows the former president sitting across from co-hosts Will Cain, Pete Hegset and Rachel Campos-Duffy in front of a set with a fireplace and bookshelves.

“I could have done it, but I felt it would’ve been a terrible thing and then this happened to me,” he said. “I didn’t say lock her up.”

His claim is inaccurate, however. There are multiple instances of Trump saying this phrase throughout the years, especially in October 2016 campaign rallies. One such example is during a rally on Oct. 14, 2016 in Greensboro, North Carolina. “For what she’s done, they should lock her up,” he said in video posted on C-SPAN. Another instance is Trump saying “lock her up is right” in response to his crowd chanting the phrase at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Oct. 10, 2016, The Washington Post reported. (RELATED: Video Of Bar’s Reaction To Trump’s Conviction Is Altered Media)

He’s also expressed the same sentiment under different wording. “Hillary Clinton has to go to jail, OK? She has to go to jail,” he said during a June 2016 speech he gave in San Jose, California, according to Roll Call.

Later on, at a Jan. 2020 rally in Toledo, Ohio, he said “You should lock her up, I’ll tell you,” in another video posted on C-SPAN. In a Oct. 2020 rally in Macron, Georgia, he called for the arrest of not only Clinton, but also the Biden family, who he called “corrupt” shortly prior in the speech. according to Roll Call. “You should lock them up. Lock up the Bidens. Lock up Hillary,” Trump said, joined by chants of “lock them up” from the crowd.

Check Your Fact has reached out to a Trump spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.