Tough-guy talk about ‘radical-left lunatics’ is an extreme spin on an old playbook but plays well with his Republican base
Donald Trump delights in railing against his enemies, and when protesters set up encampments at college campuses nationwide to decry Israel’s invasion of Gaza, the former US president gained another useful antagonist.
For some observers, Trump’s language is both dangerous in the current political environment as he seeks to rile up his base and a dark hint at how he might treat dissent and demonstrations should he defeat Joe Biden and achieve his ambition of returning to the White House in 2025.
His language is certainly extreme.
“These are radical-left lunatics, and they’ve got to be stopped now,” Trump said earlier this month outside the Manhattan courtroom where he is being tried on business fraud charges.
The day prior, police had rounded up demonstrators at Columbia University, home to one of the most contentious protest sites. Trump called the sweep “a beautiful thing to watch”.
“Can’t you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something?”
-Trump, regarding the peaceful protest of the killing of George Floyd
“These were great people.” “Patriots” “Peaceful people” “Hostages”
-Trump, regarding the Jan. 6th insurrectionists
Are those actual quotes?
Meh? If he doesn’t twist this he will do it with something else.
No loyalty whatsoever. These kids are going to get him reelected and in return he is making plans to target them?
You know, I have held my tongue so far, but this Trump fella, he might be a bad dude.
Biden is withholding weapons from Netanyahu. Protest works.
As long as it’s a protest that doesn’t end with the country burning down.
Maybe if centrists keep referring to anti-genocide protesters using the same language Republicans used for BLM, Biden will start sending bombs again.
