Former President Donald J. Trump shared a video on Monday showcasing hypothetical newspaper articles predicting a 2024 victory for him and discussing “the creation of a unified Reich” under the headline “What’s next for America?” The 30-second video, posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, features articles styled like early 1900s newspapers, with text apparently borrowed from reports on World War I. One article in the video suggests that Mr. Trump would deport 15 million migrants in a potential second term, while also mentioning the start and end dates of World War I.
Another headline in the video implies that in a second term, Mr. Trump would reject “globalists,” a term associated with the far right and considered by scholars as a possible signal of antisemitism. The video remained on his account despite being posted by a staff member while Mr. Trump was at his criminal trial in Manhattan.
A campaign spokeswoman clarified that the video was not an official campaign release but instead created by an unknown online account and reposted by a staffer who did not notice the content while the President was in court. The spokeswoman also took a jab at President Biden, labeling him as the real extremist.
Mr. Trump has a history of denouncing Jews who vote for Democrats, accusing them of disliking their religion and Israel. He has also faced criticism for echoing the language of past authoritarian leaders, dehumanizing political opponents, and making statements hinting at dictatorial tendencies. In the past, he has associated with known white supremacists and downplayed incidents like the Charlottesville rally in 2017.
The term “Reich” used in the video is often linked to Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, who established the “Third Reich” following previous German empires. The German Empire formed in 1871 was eventually dismantled after World War I, leading to Hitler’s rise to power and the atrocities of World War II.
President Biden’s campaign condemned Mr. Trump for the video, accusing him of echoing Nazi rhetoric and suggesting a troubling future under a potential second Trump term.
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