Trump's final pitch to voters: promises of retaliation, vulgar rallies, fascist accusations | US elections 2024

As the election approaches, Donald Trump's latest message to voters is about revenge, with promises of retaliation and rallies that are increasingly incoherent, vulgar and full of hate.

And his final pitch is as dark and sinister as any he's made on the campaign trail over the last two years. The U.S. is a “trash can for the world,” he said at a rally Thursday in Arizona, where he railed against people entering the country illegally and Democrats, whom Trump called incompetent and stupid.

He followed his hateful rhetoric with a preview of how he would lead a second government, leaving no room for interpretation.

“Immediately after taking the oath of office,” he wrote on Truth Social, “I will launch the largest deportation program in American history – I will save every city across America that has been invaded and conquered, and we will kill these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals ..” in jail or throw them the fuck OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!”

Trump seemed particularly upset this week when John Kelly, his senior chief of staff, told voters that Trump was a fascist. Trump called Kelly a “complete degenerate.”

Retaliation remains a central theme of the Trump re-election campaign. Trump has vowed to root out “the enemy from within” and said he would consider using the military to target his political opponents. NPR recently counted “more than 100 threats from Trump over the past two years to investigate, charge, imprison or otherwise punish his perceived opponents.”

On Truth Social on Friday, he issued a lengthy, informal “cease and desist” letter to Democrats who he continues to insist engaged in “rampant fraud and deceit” in 2020, stripping him of a second term.

“Therefore, the 2024 election, in which voting has just begun, will be subject to rigorous professional scrutiny, and if I win, those who cheated will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including long prison sentences.” “We will not repeat the corruption of justice,” he threatened.

“We cannot allow our country to continue to transform into a third world nation, and we will not!” Please note that this legal threat extends to lawyers, political activists, donors, illegal voters and corrupt Election officials extends. Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought, caught and prosecuted on a scale that, unfortunately, has never been seen before in our country.”

His campaign also invests heavily in anti-trans advertising, capitalizing on a culture war theme that riles many. His campaign is a huge success: $29 million in anti-trans advertising has been made in the last five weeks, Bulwark reported based on AdImpact data, compared to $5 million for business-focused TV. advertising in the same period. “That makes the issue by far the biggest flashpoint when it comes to Trump’s ad spending — one of the best barometers of messaging priority there is,” the outlet’s Marc Caputo wrote.

In the final stages of his campaign, Trump will reportedly try to curb arguments that have raised some doubts about his mental fitness. He referred to it as an intelligent speaking style and called it “the fabric.” The Washington Post, however, called it “strikingly erratic, crude and often confusing, even for a politician with a history of campaigning in three consecutive presidential elections.”

Over the last year, his speaking style has made it clear to voters what he cares about. Some of his comments suggest that Hannibal Lecter, the fictional cannibal, is a real person who died. He's crazy about bacon. He railed against windmills, which is a common source of his contempt. He confused legal asylum, the process by which people from other countries seek protection when fleeing persecution, with mental asylums. He spread a false right-wing conspiracy during the presidential debate that migrants were eating pets. He said Harvey Weinstein was “screwed.” He praised Arnold Palmer's penis size. It is often impossible to quote his speeches directly without extensive editing and adding context.

Between his forays, he has honed the racist, threatening messages that he believes are his best hope of getting his old job back. The media is “the enemy of the people,” Kamala Harris is a “shitty vice president,” Joe Biden is a “stupid idiot,” and Nancy Pelosi is “crazy as a bedbug.”

As in 2016, he has described himself as the only person who can solve all the problems caused by his enemies.

“We are on the verge of the four greatest years in the history of our country,” he told his supporters in Arizona. “We will fulfill America’s promises. We will put America first and reclaim the nation we love. We’re going to take it back from these people who have no idea what they’re doing.”

With just ten days until Election Day, Trump's campaign will no doubt want to keep him informed. But his track record — including a recent town hall visit that turned into a 40-minute dance event — suggests he may not be up to it.

His latest attempt to win over voters embodies the message he has been preaching for four years: that his rule was stolen from him and he is trying to take it back. His supporters must flock to make his lead “too big to manipulate,” a statement his fans are now repeating.

He delivered this message during a staged appearance in a McDonald's fryer in which he refused to commit to accepting the election results. He leaned out of the drive-thru window and told reporters that he was ahead in the polls. Would he accept the election results? “If it’s a fair election,” he replied.