During a rally in New Jersey, former President Donald J. Trump once again referenced the fictional character Hannibal Lecter from “The Silence of the Lambs” in an attempt to stoke fear and anger over migration ahead of the election.
Mr. Trump compared migrants to Hannibal Lecter, the infamous serial killer and cannibal, saying, “He often times would have a friend for dinner.” He continued to express concern over unchecked and unvetted individuals entering the country, claiming they are destroying the nation.
Despite there being no evidence to support his claims, Mr. Trump has consistently portrayed migrants as criminals or mentally ill individuals sent to the U.S. by other countries.
Despite the lack of evidence, Mr. Trump has persisted in his rhetoric, equating migrants to those from “mental institutions” or “insane asylums.”
Throughout his campaign, Mr. Trump has frequently referenced Hannibal Lecter, even calling him “legendary” and a nice fellow. In his rally, he delved into the character from the 1991 movie in more detail than usual.
While Mr. Trump praised the character of Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, as “late, great,” it is unclear why he used these terms since neither the character nor the actor have passed away.
In addition to Hannibal Lecter, Mr. Trump often references other figures like Al Capone during his rallies.
He has compared himself to the notorious gangster, joking about being indicted more times than Al Capone. Mr. Trump’s references to such figures add a unique element to his campaign speeches.
