Following President Donald Trump’s complaints Thursday morning about the escalating federal investigation into his associates’ ties to the Russian government, Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton had a retort with some historical context.

In one tweet, Trump said he was the victim of an unprecedented political witch hunt.

This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2017

Moulton, a Salem Democrat, curtly replied with a nod to his North Shore district’s colonial history.

As the Representative of Salem, MA, I can confirm that this is false. https://t.co/8yJIzZBSE8 — Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 18, 2017

Moulton appears to be alluding to the 1692 Salem witch trials, which resulted in the executions of 20 people accused of witchcraft. The trials were reportedly motivated by Puritan paranoia and local political rivalries. Shortly after the trials, many involved admitted the witch hunts were a mistake. The state of Massachusetts has formally apologized for the trials and passed an official act declaring the 20 victims innocent.


In all fairness to Trump, the Salem witch trials predated the Declaration of Independence.

However, they did involve at least one “politician.” As Mary Beth Norton, a Cornell University history professor who wrote a book about the trials, told The Atlantic, a Salem selectman named Phillip English was among the hundreds accused of witchcraft at the time.

“[English] was an office holder in the town of Salem, and he was not only accused of being a witch, but he was arrested and held,” Norton said Thursday. “He was never tried because he was very wealthy and bribed the jailor and escaped before the trial.”