Former President Donald Trump has drawn criticism for using a term associated with autocratic regimes in his Veterans Day address, leading to strong reactions from historians and critics.
What Happened: During a speech in Claremont, N.H., Trump referred to his political rivals as “vermin,” implying that they are a greater threat to the U.S. than countries like Russia, China, or North Korea, according to The Washington Post. This usage drew sharp criticism, both in his speech and in a post on Truth Social.
Trump’s choice of words was likened to language used by dictators. Timothy Naftali, a senior research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, stated, “The language is the language that dictators use to instill fear… That’s what dictators do.”
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian at New York University, pointed out in an email to The Washington Post that the term ‘vermin’ was effectively used by Hitler and Mussolini to dehumanize their opponents and incite violence.
Despite this, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung defended the comments, dismissing critics as “snowflakes suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
These controversial comments surface as Trump maintains a clear lead in the GOP primary field and plans to retaliate against critics and opponents if he returns to the presidency.
Why It Matters: This rhetoric falls in line with Trump’s publicly expressed intentions to investigate or prosecute critics and opponents if he wins a second term, as detailed on Benzinga . He has also hinted at using the FBI and the Department of Justice against political rivals, as reported on Benzinga .
These actions mirror the governance style of autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin, as noted by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) in a Benzinga report. Raskin warned that a second term for Trump could signify a shift towards an unfamiliar form of government in the U.S.
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