Donald Trump stood by his heavily criticized warning of a coming American “bloodbath” on Tuesday as he told supporters that US communities faced “plunder, rape and slaughter” at the hands of illegal immigrants.
In some of his most provocative comments yet on border security, Trump accused President Joe Biden of unleashing “carnage, chaos and killing” in a country he said was flooded with drugs and besieged by foreign criminal gangs.
“I stand before you today to declare that Joe Biden’s border bloodbath… it’s a bloodbath, and it’s destroying our country and it’s a very bad thing happening,” he said in an apocalyptic campaign speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“It’s going to end on the day that I take office.”
The former president — who faces a rematch against Biden in November’s election — spoke out as the Republican National Committee launched BidenBloodbath.com, a website warning of an “invasion aided and abetted by Joe Biden.”
While addressing the potential loss of auto manufacturing jobs to foreign countries last month in Ohio, Trump warned if he wasn’t reelected, “it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”
Hours after Grand Rapids, he repeated his fierce messaging at a rally in Wisconsin, where he savaged Biden for allowing what Trump called “an invasion of our country.”
“We will liberate this nation from crooked Joe and his migrant armies of dangerous criminals once and for all,” he told supporters holding “Fire Biden” signs in Green Bay.
Biden’s campaign and Democrats accused him of fomenting “political violence,” prompting an indignant response from Trump aides who said it was clear the tycoon was using the term to describe economic devastation.
Trump is often criticized for using extreme language that experts fear increases the risk of violence, whether in social media posts about his multiple prosecutions or at his rallies.
– Violent crime dropping –
He referred to illegal immigrants accused of criminality as “animals” in his fire-and-brimstone Michigan speech, highlighting the killings of several young women, allegedly by foreign nationals.
“Under crooked Joe Biden every state is now a border state. Every town is now a border town,” Trump thundered.
“Because Joe Biden has brought the carnage, chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards.”
He vowed to stop the “plunder, rape, slaughter and destruction of our American suburbs, cities and towns,” comments he reiterated in Wisconsin.
While illegal border crossings hit record highs during Biden’s presidency, violent crime — in Michigan and nationwide — has been dropping since it spiked under Trump during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
The billionaire was aiming to jumpstart his campaign with back-to-back rallies in Michigan and Wisconsin, two swing states crucial to his bid to defeat Biden.
The Republican who faces more than 80 felony counts and has been in and out of court for much of the campaign, has pledged retribution against political enemies, and quipped he would be a dictator “on day one.”
But during his speech in Green Bay, Trump stated that it was Biden who endangers the democratic system.
“I’m not the threat to democracy. Joe Biden and the fascists that control him — and they do control him — are the real threat to democracy,” Trump said.
The Democratic National Committee accused Trump of hypocrisy on immigration, highlighting his push on Republicans in Congress to derail a recent bipartisan agreement that would have ensured the strictest border security measures in a generation.
– Swing states –
Tuesday’s first address was something of a homecoming for Trump, who closed out his successful 2016 campaign in Grand Rapids, winning Michigan on the way to claiming the White House.
Biden regained the state for Democrats in 2020, but current polls show Trump in the lead, and the election is likely to be very close.
The race is also expected to be close in neighboring Wisconsin.
Biden has been traveling through the swing states in recent weeks, visiting Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
He is increasing his lead over his Republican opponent in the fundraising competition, while Trump is spending money quickly as he covers legal expenses to fight numerous criminal and civil court cases.
