Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a swift trial and the death penalty for 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr., who is accused of brutally stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a commuter train in North Carolina last month.

In a strongly worded post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump wrote:

"The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY. There can be no other option!!!"

Trump Slams Democrats Over Crime

This isn’t Trump’s first reaction to the killing. A day earlier, he blamed Democratic leadership for the country’s rising violent crime, writing:

"Zarutska’s blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail."

He went on to call for stricter law enforcement and urged North Carolina voters to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley:

"North Carolina, and every State, needs LAW AND ORDER, and only Republicans will deliver it! Additionally, where is the outrage from the Mainstream Media on this horrible tragedy?"

A Search for Safety Ends in Tragedy

According to her family, Zarutska had fled war-torn Ukraine, where she had been living in a bomb shelter, in hopes of finding safety and a better life in the U.S.

On August 22, she boarded a commuter train in North Carolina and sat in front of Brown. Without warning or provocation, Brown allegedly pulled out a pocket knife and repeatedly stabbed her. Horrified passengers screamed and scrambled for safety as the attack unfolded. A disturbing video of the incident has since circulated widely on social media.

### Federal Charges Filed

Trump’s statement came just a day after the U.S. Department of Justice announced federal charges against Brown — charges that could lead to the death penalty. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department would pursue the harshest punishment possible.

"We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man," Bondi said in a statement.

The case has reignited debates over crime, immigration, mental health, and justice, with political leaders on both sides weighing in.