A grim reminder of some of Trump’s most disturbing statements

JORDAN REID: Trump’s recent rally in Ohio was theoretically in support of Senatorial hopeful Bernie Moreno, but you know how he is. Mr. Moreno wasn’t exactly his central topic. 

The speech was one for the history books, so I thought I’d lay out a few of his most telling statements — you know, in case you were in need of a quick refresher on the man who holds the Republican Party in his sweaty little palm.

“If this election isn’t won, I’m not sure you’re going to have another election in this country.”

Right. Because Biden is the one expressing dictatorial fantasies. It’s Biden who’s done every single thing in his power to erode our citizenry’s trust in elections – up to and including inciting a riot, and trying to install himself as president in an election he did not win.

Trump also stood up for a recording of the national anthem performed by January 6th defendants while in jail. He called the performers “hostages” and “unbelievable patriots” and suggested yet again that he would pardon them. 

In slight contrast was the way he talked about our nation’s undocumented immigrant population: Quote, “I don’t know if you call them people, in some cases.” Also referring to them as “animals.”

This is a population, I’d like to remind you, that forms a major part of our economy’s backbone, in addition to largely consisting of extremely vulnerable human beings who are fleeing grave dangers in their own countries.

Trump bragged that if he wins he will have the largest domestic deportation in human history. Humanitarian catastrophe aside, this would be a pretty clear effort to reduce the numbers of minority voters in swing states. 

One more statement that, to my mind, just underscores Trump’s not just “casual” but gleeful racism: “My attitude,” he said while discussing a competitor’s bid for the senate seat, “is anybody who changes the name from the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians should not be a senator.”

Why? Why are you saying these things if not as dog whistles to white supremacists? 

But the statement that’s gotten the most attention by far is this: 

DONALD TRUMP: we’re gonna put a 100 percent tariff on every single car that comes across the line and you’re not gonna be able to sell those cars if I get elected. Now if I don’t get elected it’s gonna be a bloodbath for the whole … that’s gonna be the least of it. 

JORDAN REID: The campaign says Trump was referring to an economic bloodbath, but…why would anyone think that’s the totality of what he meant? And yes, I’m being alarmist here, because it seems well past time for the alarms to be ringing. 

He’s told attendees at rallies to beat the shit out of people. He incited a violent riot at the Capital resulting in multiple deaths – violence that he reportedly enjoyed watching. 

In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, he said “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” a callback to a racist phrase dating back to police brutality in the 1960s. 

In 2020, when law enforcement killed self-described Antifa member Michael Forest Reinoehl, he said “That’s the way it has to be. There has to be retribution.”

Over and over, he says the thing, his audience does the thing. He says “that’s not my fault, I was just saying a thing.”

This is a violent man, who is endorsing violence among his supporters. He is saying out loud what he wants his followers to do if he loses the election. Recall the Maya Angelou quote, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” 

Well, this isn’t the first time he’s shown us, or even told us right out loud who he is – not by a long shot. And we fail to believe him at our own peril.