Former President Donald Trump has issued a sinister threat to “root out” the “radical left thugs” and “enemies within” if he wins the 2024 election, echoing the Nazi propaganda and fascism that he has been accused of promoting.
In a speech on Veterans Day in New Hampshire, Trump vowed to use the federal government to punish his critics and opponents, such as launching investigations into the 2020 election, the January 6 insurrection, and the Biden administration.
“We are a failing nation. We are a nation in serious decline,” Trump, the current Republican presidential frontrunner, told the crowd gathered in Claremont, New Hampshire. “2024 is our final battle.”
The ex-president promised to focus on communists and Marxists—ideological groups he labeled as “radical left lunatics”—and “eliminate the fake news media until they become real.”
“The real threat is not from the radical right. The real threat is from the radical left, and it’s growing every day—every single day,” Trump claimed. “The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous, and grave than the threat from within.”
Trump’s speech was met with outrage and alarm by many observers, who compared his rhetoric to the Nazi term “Judenrein”, which means “free of Jews”, and the fascist slogan “Drain the Swamp”, which he used to attack his political opponents and the media.
“Trump is not just a former president. He is a would-be dictator who poses an ongoing threat to American democracy,” wrote Jake Johnson, the author of an article in Common Dreams.
The Washington Postreported earlier this month that Trump and his allies “have begun mapping out specific plans for using the federal government to punish critics and opponents should he win a second term, with the former president naming individuals he wants to investigate or prosecute and his associates drafting plans to potentially invoke the Insurrection Act on his first day in office to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrations.”
“In public, Trump has vowed to appoint a special prosecutor to ‘go after’ President Biden and his family. The former president has frequently made corruption accusations against them that are not supported by available evidence,” the Post noted. “To facilitate Trump’s ability to direct Justice Department actions, his associates have been drafting plans to dispense with 50 years of policy and practice intended to shield criminal prosecutions from political considerations. Critics have called such ideas dangerous and unconstitutional.”
“Trump is channeling Hitler for protection. He knows he faces prison when he leaves office, and thinks his followers will shield him,” tweeted Laurence Tribe, a constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School.
Trump is facing four separate cases for his alleged crimes and abuses of power, including tax fraud, obstruction of justice, incitement of violence, and violation of the emoluments clause. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claimed that he is the victim of a “witch hunt”.
Trump’s rhetoric and actions have also created a constant threat of violence and intimidation against Republican lawmakers who do not support him or his agenda, such as Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and Mitch McConnell.
Many experts and activists have warned that Trump’s continued influence and popularity among his base pose a serious danger to the stability and security of the U.S. and the world, and have called for more accountability and resistance to his authoritarian tendencies.
Relevant articles:
- Trump Issues Sinister Threat to ‘Root Out’ Leftists If Elected in 2024, Common Dreams, Nov 12, 2023
- Trump’s channeling Hitler for protection, Nov 8, 2023
- A constant threat of MAGA-on-Republican violence: The GOP’s devotion to Trump has sabotaged Congress, Yahoo News, Nov 2, 2023
- Trump calls political enemies ‘vermin,’ echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini, The Washington Post, Nov 12, 2023