The Biden-Harris campaign claimed that former President Donald Trump threatened “political violence” with his speech at a campaign event in Ohio on Saturday. Trump had mentioned a “bloodbath” would happen in the U.S. automobile industry if he doesn’t win the presidential election in November while talking about how China plans to sell cars manufactured in Mexico to Americans.
“Let me tell you something. To China, if you are listening President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal. Those big, monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now, and you think you’re going to get that, you’re going to not hire Americans and you’re going to sell the cars to us. Now, we’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line. And you’re not going to be able to sell those cars, if I get elected,” Trump said.
“Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole, that’s going to be the least of it, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country, that’ll be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars,” he added.
Although Trump was clearly talking about economic consequences in the auto industry, the Biden-Harris campaign accused him of planning actual violence in the country if he loses the election.
“This is who Donald Trump is: a loser who gets beat by over 7 million votes and then instead of appealing to a wider mainstream audience doubles down on his threats of political violence,” the campaign said in a statement.
“He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge,” the statement read further.
With the mainstream media also crawling over the statement, Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller took to X to clarify what the GOP presumptive nominee meant to say.
“For the auto industry, correct. Crooked Joe Biden’s Insane EV Mandate will slaughter the American auto industry. So many jobs killed! That’s why we have to elect President Trump.”
For the auto industry, correct.
Crooked Joe Biden’s Insane EV Mandate will slaughter the American auto industry.
So many jobs killed!
That’s why we have to elect President Trump. https://t.co/sLsp6mCUtP
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) March 16, 2024