Donald Trump cautioned a crowd in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday that a loss in the 2024 election would lead to a “bloodbath” for both the U.S. auto industry and the nation as a whole. His team clarified that the phrase was meant to be understood in the appropriate economic context. However, Jen Psaki pointed out on Sunday that the important thing to note is that Trump said what he said and meant it.
She explained, “This support for political violence, this dehumanizing language, is what Donald Trump has been promoting for years.”
Psaki mentioned Trump’s warning in January that if the legal cases against him result in his loss in the 2024 presidential election, “It will cause chaos in the country. It's a very negative thing. It sets a very bad example. As we mentioned, it's the beginning of a very troublesome situation.” She also cited his use of the word “vermin” in November 2023 to describe his political opponents. His choice of words drew parallels to Hitler.
It doesn’t end there. “During his first term, he outright refused to condemn the political violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, stating there were 'very fine people on both sides,'” Psaki added. “In 2020, reportedly, he inquired with his defense secretary about shooting people who were protesting the death of George Floyd, asking, ‘Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something.'”
“We all know by now that Trump’s references to political violence are not simply symbolic. His supporters take them seriously, and that's a significant problem,” Psaki remarked. “And he knows that too. So no, we did not miss the full context.”
The topic was also discussed on Sunday’s episode of “This Week” on ABC. Host Martha Raddatz highlighted that Trump’s comments were made in the context of the auto industry and foreign vehicles, something that Rep. Mike Turner emphasized. Turner stated, “I think, for sure, there are statements that he makes that, you know, many Americans would not agree with, and many Americans would agree with it.”
When questioned about Trump’s use of the word “animals” to describe immigrants in the same speech, Turner commented, “Well, I, of course, have disagreed with those in the past. I believe the American public disagrees with those. But I do believe that people see that Donald Trump is the only candidate in this race who will be able to resolve this crisis [at the U.S.-Mexico border].”
Watch Jen Psaki’s breakdown of Trump’s comments in the video at the top of this story.
