Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took the stage at a rally in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday with some fiery rhetoric against certain immigrants.
In his speech, Trump asserted that criminal immigrants like those from the gang MS-13 and others in prison are ‘not people.’ He also took the opportunity to paint a picture of America if he is not elected, predicting a ‘blood bath’ in the automobile industry and the country should it come to pass.
Rally in Dayton
Donald Trump spoke at a rally in Dayton for Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. The Senate race in the state has turned into a brutal three-way brawl for the Republican nomination.
Moreno is facing off against Senator Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LeRose for nomination and the chance to face Democrat Sherrod Brown in November. With Trump making his presence in the race known, it might only serve as fuel for the race to further heat up.
Personal Race
Former Ohio representative Steve Shivers commented on the personal nature of the race being run.
“Clearly, it’s gotten pretty personal and ugly. “There are attacks on all three of them that are probably completely unfair and a stretch of reality. … Some of them are kind of beyond the pale,” Stivers said.
Trump Declares Some Immigrants Aren’t People
At the Saturday speech supporting Moreno, Trump made comments that dehumanized some immigrants who have been accused of crimes or associated with gang activity.
“I don’t know if you call them people,” Trump said. “In some cases, they’re not people, in my opinion. But I’m not allowed to say that because the radical left says that’s a terrible thing to say.”
Context of the Comments
Trump in this moment of the speech was talking about the criminal element he perceives in immigrant populations that he desperately wants to stop from coming into the United States.
“I got to know all these people, they are very smart, very streetwise, and I would do the same thing. If I had prisons that were teeming with MS-13 and all sorts of people that they have got to take care of for the next 50 years, right? Young people, they’re in jail for years, if you call them people.” (Via NewsMax)
Stopping the Invasion
Trump framed his campaign in opposition to these criminal elements that he sees as invaders of American communities. In his speech, he put the blame for these criminal actors at the feet of current President Joe Biden.
“Among my very first actions upon taking office, will be to stop the invasion of our country and send Joe Biden’s illegal aliens back home,” Trump said.
New Form of Crime
In further comments meant to tie Biden to criminal actions perpetrated by immigrants, Trump unveiled a new term he is using to describe it.
“These are the roughest people you have ever seen. You know now we have a new form of crime, I call it Biden migrant crime. But it’s too long, so let’s just call it migrant crime. We have a new category.”
Blood Bath for the Country
At one point in the speech, Trump turned his attention to the automobile industry, decrying the rising manufacturing business in Mexico compared to the United States. He promised a “100% tariff” on vehicles built in Mexican manufacturing plants if elected, and said without his measures it would be a bloodbath for the whole country.
“If I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country,” Trump said
Biden Administration’s Response
James Singer, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, responded to Trump’s comments, characterizing them as “threats of political violence.”
“He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge,” Singer said.
A Loser Who Espouses Violence
Singer’s comments went further to disparage former President Donald Trump, referring to him as a “loser.”
“This is who Donald Trump is: a loser who gets beat by over 7 million votes and then instead of appealing to a wider mainstream audience doubles down on his threats of political violence.”
Trump Campaign’s Response
Late Saturday, the Trump campaign responded to what they considered the Biden Administration’s attempt to take the former president’s comments out of context, insisting the bloodbath comments were about the automobile industry.
“Crooked Joe Biden and his campaign are engaging in deceptively, out-of-context editing that puts Roman Polanski to shame,” said Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung to CNN.
Consequences for the Race
It’s unclear what the effect of Trump’s comments will be on the Senate race. Dolan currently has a slight lead over his republican rivals.
However, Democrat Sherrod Brown maintains the poll advantage in the race so far. A recent survey found Brown leading Dolan 39 percent to 33 percent. In a hypothetical matchup between Brown and Moreno, Brown led against Moreno 39 percent to 34 percent.
