Supporters of United States President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement have latched onto a spike in the popularity of Google searches for “criminal defense lawyer” and other crime-related terms in Washington, DC.MAGA followers have claimed that the Google data shows that a corrupt elite in the US capital are afraid of being arrested and prosecuted under Trump’s new administration.
“PANIC IN DC: Google searches explode for: – Criminal defense lawyer – RICO law – Swiss bank – Offshore bank – Wire money – IBAN – Statute of limitations,” the MAGA-linked X account Libs Of TikTok posted to its more than four million followers on Sunday.
The post, accompanied by screenshots of search terms on Google Trends, has been shared more than 16,000 times, attracted more than 65,000 “likes”, and received some 1.9 million views on X.
PANIC IN DC: Google searches explode for:
– Criminal defense lawyer- RICO law- Swiss bank- Offshore bank- Wire money- IBAN- Statute of limitations pic.twitter.com/UYtBiapWDw
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 16, 2025
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The Google Trends data has been amplified by numerous prominent MAGA figures to promote the narrative that DC elites are fearful of being exposed for their crimes.
“The Beltway is in full panic mode,” Matt Gaetz, a close Trump ally and former Florida congressman, said on his show on the right-wing One America News Network on Wednesday, using a common expression for the political and social elite of Washington, DC.
“Google search trends prove it, and the guilty are sweating bullets like they are auditioning for a mob flick,” Gaetz said.
“Dumb crimina …