May 21, 2024
(NBC)~Former President Donald Trump‘s account shared a video on social media Monday that referred to a “unified Reich” among possible developments if he were to win re-election in November, drawing criticism from the Biden campaign.
Trump’s account posted a 30-second video (since been pulled down) to his Truth Social platform on Monday afternoon that asked, “what happens after Donald Trump wins?” and “what’s next for America?”
The background is made up of hypothetical newspaper front pages with headlines including “BORDER IS CLOSED — 15 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS DEPORTED” and “ECONOMY BOOMS.” Twice in the clip, slightly blurred text appears beneath the headlines that reads: “Industrial strength significantly increased … driven by the creation of a unified Reich.”
“Reich,” meaning realm, kingdom or empire, is often considered to be a reference to Hitler’s Third Reich regime that emerged in 1930s Nazi Germany — and its inclusion in the video was condemned by Democrats.
“America, stop scrolling and pay attention. Donald Trump is not playing games; he is telling America exactly what he intends to do if he regains power: rule as a dictator over a ‘unified reich,'” James Singer, spokesman for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, said in a statement Monday night.
“Parroting ‘Mein Kampf’ while you warn of a bloodbath if you lose is the type of unhinged behavior you get from a guy who knows that democracy continues to reject his extreme vision of chaos, division, and violence,” Singer said.
Singer said in a statement Tuesday that Trump’s post “is part of a pattern of his praise for dictators and echoing antisemitic tropes. He’s a threat to our democracy and Americans must reject him and stand up for our democracy this November.”
Trump has used 20th-century German historical comparisons to attack his opponents: earlier this month he compared the Biden administration to the “Gestapo, ” the secret police force of Nazi Germany.
Late last year Trump said immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of America, echoing parts of “Mein Kampf,” but he said he was unaware Hitler had used similar language and denied the comments were racist.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates said the Biden administration couldn’t comment on the post specifically but added in a statement: “It is abhorrent, sickening, and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated with Germany’s Nazi government under Adolf Hitler.”
Not news! Joke!