In a recent rally, Donald Trump firmly asserted to his followers that he is “not a Nazi.” His statement aimed to counter accusations of authoritarianism, notably from a former senior aide who had labeled him a fascist. As the election heads into its tense final week, the rivalry between him and Kamala Harris, the sitting vice president, has escalated, with both sides intensifying their political discourse amidst a historic campaign.
Harris, a Democrat, has accused Trump of inciting division across the nation. While she traversed the battleground state of Michigan, Trump was engaging his base in Georgia, another critical swing state. During his speech, Trump mentioned that critics have gone so far as to compare him to “Hitler.”
“The latest narrative from Kamala and her team is that anyone who doesn’t back her is somehow a Nazi,” Trump expressed enthusiastically to a lively crowd in Atlanta. “I’m definitely not a Nazi. In fact, I couldn’t be more opposed to that.”
This statement emerged shortly after Trump held a significant rally at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden, which faced backlash due to the inflammatory comments made by some of his supporters during the event.
Moreover, these remarks followed a revelation from a recent New York Times interview, where Trump’s longtime chief of staff, retired General John Kelly, claimed that Trump’s actions align with elements of fascism—a view that Harris expressed her agreement with last week. Kelly also recounted that Trump had made controversial statements, including suggesting that “Hitler did some good things too” and that he had a preference for generals akin to those used by Adolf Hitler.
As the electoral atmosphere thickens, the stakes loom larger. Polls reflect a nail-biting competition, with many concerned about Trump’s potential refusal to accept a loss, reminiscent of his 2020 defeat. His harsh comments directed at migrants and political adversaries continue to fuel the fire of division.
Recently, Trump faced backlash after a warm-up speaker at his New York rally disparaged Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage.” In response, Harris didn’t hold back, condemning “the nonsense that unfolded at Madison Square Garden” during a press briefing before boarding Air Force Two the next day.
“His focus is primarily on his grievances, himself, and his mission to further divide our nation. That’s hardly conducive to strengthening the American family or bolstering American workers,” Harris remarked.
At a subsequent rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Harris, accompanied by her running mate Tim Walz, rallied roughly 20,000 supporters, emphasizing the significant implications of the upcoming election on November 5. “Trump has become even more unstable and unhinged; he now seeks unchecked power,” she asserted passionately.
Despite the uproar over the Puerto Rico comments, Trump’s campaign quickly disclaimed that these sentiments do not align with presidential views. Though citizens of Puerto Rico cannot vote in federal elections, around 450,000 Puerto Ricans residing in vital battleground states like Pennsylvania can cast their ballots.
Former President Barack Obama, a prominent figure in support of Harris, rallied in Philadelphia, urging voters to reject Trump and his allies for perpetuating “the most racist, sexist, bigoted stereotypes.” He appealed directly to Pennsylvanians with Puerto Rican connections, asserting, “If someone refuses to acknowledge you as fellow citizens with equal rights, you shouldn’t support them.”
During Trump’s New York rally, which some Democrats likened to a notorious rally of American fascists from 1939, he revisited familiar topics such as undocumented immigrants and political opponents, whom he derogatorily referred to as the “enemy from within.” In Atlanta, he continued his tirade against Harris, labeling her a “hater,” and dismissed former First Lady Michelle Obama as “nasty” for her criticisms directed at him.
In the lead-up to the election, more than 47 million Americans have already participated in early voting—among them, outgoing President Joe Biden, who cast his ballot close to his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday. The challenge for both Harris and Trump, as the countdown continues, lies in igniting enthusiasm among their steadfast supporters while also swaying the minuscule group of undecided voters who could tip the scales—especially in the critical seven swing states where polling indicates a dead heat.
Harris is set to outline what her campaign terms a “closing argument” from a location near the White House—a site that holds significant weight, as it was where Trump rallied his supporters on January 6, 2021, igniting a tumultuous attack on the Capitol.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
