When asked for comment, the US Secret Service refrained from confirming or commenting on matters of protective intelligence
Donald Trump. Pic/AFP
Former President Donald Trump sparked controversy on Friday by sharing a video featuring an unsettling image showing President Joe Biden tied up in the back of a pickup truck, CNN reported.
Trump claimed the footage was captured on Long Island during his attendance at the wake of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, tragically killed during a traffic stop that week. The video showcased two trucks adorned with flags and decals expressing support for Trump, with Biden's image prominently displayed on the back of the second truck.
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In response to the uproar, Trump's campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, defended the imagery, stating, "That picture was on the back of a pick-up truck that was travelling down the highway. Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponising the justice system against him."
Biden's campaign spokesman, Michael Tyler, condemned Trump's actions, stating to CNN, "This image from Donald Trump is the type of crap you post when you're calling for a 'bloodbath' or when you tell the proud boys to 'stand back and stand by.' Trump is regularly inciting political violence and it's time people take him seriously -- just ask the Capitol Police officers who were attacked protecting our democracy on January 6," as reported by CNN.
When asked for comment, the US Secret Service refrained from confirming or commenting on matters of protective intelligence.
This latest video adds to a pattern of Trump employing dark and violent imagery in his campaign messaging, reflecting his propensity for inflammatory rhetoric, which appears to fuel his White House aspirations.
Earlier this month, Trump issued a stark warning, suggesting that if he were to lose the 2024 election, it would result in a "bloodbath" for the US auto industry and the nation at large. He proposed a "100 per cent tariff" on cars manufactured outside the US, arguing that only his presidency could safeguard domestic auto manufacturing.
Trump's penchant for divisive language is evident in his past remarks. In December, he stirred controversy by suggesting that migrants were "poisoning the blood" of the US, echoing Russian President Vladimir Putin's attacks on Biden as a "threat to democracy."
Furthermore, Trump has expressed admiration for foreign leaders who employ anti-democratic tactics to maintain power. At a campaign event in New Hampshire in November, he referred to his political rivals as "vermin," drawing condemnation for his language, including from Biden, who likened it to "language you heard in Nazi Germany."
Trump told the crowd: "We will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country," and warned that "the real threat is not from the radical right. The real threat is from the radical left, and it's growing every day," CNN reported.
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