Former President Donald Trump defended his controversial comments about migrants “poisoning the blood” of America, denying similarities to fascist writings.
He continued to criticize Biden for the surge in illegal border crossings and made authoritarian pledges regarding immigration policies.
While some supporters echoed his concerns about unregulated immigration, others expressed disagreement with his rhetoric. (Trending: Supreme Court Delivers Historic Ruling on AR-15s)
The divisive message resonates with some voters, although many Americans support the country’s diverse population.
“I never read ‘Mein Kampf,’” Trump said.
In Iowa, Trump said illegal immmigrants are “destroying the blood of our country, they’re destroying the fabric of our country.”
“They come from Africa, they come from Asia, they come from South America,” he said, calling it a “border catastrophe.”
“I don’t know if he says the right words all of the time,” said Trump supporter Marylee Geist. Just because “you’re not fortunate enough to be born in this country,” doesn’t mean “you don’t get to come here.”
“But it should all be done legally,” she said.
“America is the land of opportunity, however, the influx — it needs to be kept to a certain level,” her husband John Geist said.
“The amount of undocumented immigrants that come through and you don’t know what you’re getting, things aren’t regulated properly.”
“I’m very much for cutting off what’s happening at the border now. There’s too many people pouring in here right now, I watch it every single day,” Trump voter Jackie Malecek said.
“But that wording is not what I would have chosen to say.”
“You just framed your question implicitly assuming that Donald Trump is talking about Adolf Hitler. It’s absurd,” Sen. JD Vance said to a liberal reporter.
“It is obvious that he was talking about the very clear fact that the blood of Americans is being poisoned by a drug epidemic.”
Experts and politicians have critiqued Trump’s language, likening it to that used by white supremacists and fascists.
“Call it what it is,” said George Washington University research fellow Jon Lewis.
“This is fascism. This is white supremacy. This is dehumanizing language that would not be out of place in a white supremacist Signal or Telegram chat.”
Despite the controversy, Trump maintains a strong lead in polls of likely Republican voters in Iowa and nationwide.
“I will not guarantee it,” Trump said of a victory in Iowa, “but I pretty much guarantee it.”
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