For years, Donald Trump has been condemned for fiery rhetoric that critics say sounds authoritarian. Lately, his speeches have had even more overtly fascist themes, an expert on extremism told BI. Peter Simi, who testified against Trump, explained why people seem numb to his increasingly violent remarks. In recent weeks, Donald Trump has doubled and even tripled down on the charged rhetoric that critics have lamented sounds like it’s coming from the mouth of an authoritarian leader as opposed to a candidate for president of a democracy. During his Veteran’s Day speech late last month, the former president compared his political opponents to “vermin,” adding in a post on Truth Social that he pledged to “root out the Communists, Marxists, Fascists, and Radical Left Thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.” Though some critics seized upon the remark, conflating the incendiary remarks with Nazi talking points that targeted Jews during the Holocaust, Trump’s comments weren’t met with the same explosive news coverage he previously faced for similar statements. So, he has continued making them. On December 6, when asked if he’d abuse his power as retribution against his political foes, the former president told Fox News host Sean Hannity that, should he be re-elected in 2024, he’ll only be a dictator “on day one.” On December 17, Trump declared immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” a statement that drew ire from the Biden White House, which said the comments “parroted Adolf Hitler.” Despite the escalating rhetoric, none of Trump’s recent remarks have seemed to garner the same outrage that he has in the past. Peter Simi, a professor of sociology at Chapman University, has studied extremist groups and violence for 25 years and has co-authored two books about white supremacy in America. He was called as an expert witness to testify against Trump in a Colorado case in which Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan ethics watchdog group, has argued the 14th Amendment bars Trump from running for office in 2024 due to his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Simi spoke to Business Insider to explain why, even as Trump’s rhetoric becomes increasingly extreme and highlights themes of fascism and authoritarianism, the former president’s violent speeches aren’t demanding the world’s attention like they used to.
via business insider: Trump’s rhetoric is increasingly mirroring Nazi talking points, and nobody is paying attention, an expert on extremism warns
