In a recent interview on Fox News, former President Donald J. Trump made false claims about Latin American governments selectively choosing their citizens and sending them to the U.S. border. These claims, central to his 2016 campaign, have resurfaced without any evidence to support them.
Additionally, Mr. Trump accused the Chinese Communist Party of orchestrating illegal immigration into the United States and expressed his belief that China would interfere in the presidential election. He also voiced his admiration for President Xi Jinping.
When asked about the possibility of “military-aged men” from China being directed by the Communist Party to come to the U.S., Mr. Trump stated that he believed it to be true. These statements were made without providing any evidence to support these claims.
Mr. Trump also mentioned a recent event in New York City, where a group of individuals, identified as Latin American migrants, assaulted police officers. He proposed that leaders from Latin American nations are deliberately dispatching people they consider undesirable to the U.S. border in large groups.
These statements echo some of the most controversial remarks Mr. Trump made during his first campaign, where he claimed that Mexico was sending criminals, drug dealers, and rapists to the U.S. He has also falsely stated that migrants from South and Central America are coming from mental institutions and jails.
In the interview, Mr. Trump voiced his support for the large-scale, military-style expulsion of Mexican immigrants that occurred during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s tenure. He commended the tactic of initially relocating immigrants near the border and then moving them to distant locations to discourage their return.
It is important to note that if Mr. Trump is reelected, he plans to implement an extreme expansion of anti-immigration policies, including mass deportations.
While the conversation primarily focused on immigration and international affairs, there was also a discussion of domestic politics. Mr. Trump suggested that he would like to see Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, replaced. He has had a rocky relationship with her despite initially recommending her for the position in 2016.
In a separate interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Nikki Haley, Mr. Trump’s last Republican primary opponent, accused him of “playing politics with the border” by trying to undermine a bipartisan immigration and border security deal in Congress. Ms. Haley also reiterated her previous comments about Texas secession, even though the Supreme Court ruled against unilateral secession in 1869.
Overall, this interview highlights Mr. Trump’s controversial stance on immigration, his baseless claims about Latin American and Chinese involvement, and his disagreements with fellow Republicans. These statements and positions will undoubtedly shape the political landscape as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
