Several major media networks, as well as senior political figures in Washington, have been accused of mischaracterizing Donald Trump’s comments about car manufacturing at a rally in Ohio. The former President set out his proposal to tax car imports from Chinese factories in Mexico at a rate of 100% and warned there would be a “bloodbath” in the industry if he is not elected. Media outlets and Democrats, however, omitted the car industry reference in their headlines, which implied that Trump is warning of nationwide violence if Biden returns to the White House in November.
For example, the Biden campaign’s official Twitter account posted a video clip with the car industry remarks removed, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking on CNN, accused Mr. Trump of “predicting a bloodbath,” but also without including his reference to automobile manufacturing.
In the media, the Los Angeles Times led with “If I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath: Trump campaign downplays remarks,” while the New York Times opted for, “Trump says some migrants are not people and predicts a bloodbath if he loses.” The Hill’s headline read, “Trump says some undocumented immigrants are not people, warns the US will see bloodbath if not re-elected.”
The migrant remarks refer to Trump’s comments about members of notorious South American gangs such as El Salvador’s MS-13, which is known for brutal violence and a range of serious crimes, including murder, trafficking, drug war, and forced prostitution. Mr. Trump said that people who engage in such behaviors can more accurately described as animals, adding, “We’ve got hundreds of thousands of them, they are destroying our country.”
The former President has repeatedly blamed the Biden administration’s border policies for growing crime in America, including the recent murder of Georgia student Laken Riley. Her alleged killer, Jose Ibarra, is the brother of Diego Ibarra, an illegal immigrant who law enforcement authorities believe is a member of the notorious El Salvadoran gang Tren de Aragua.
