President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally on December 10, 2019 at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Lev Radin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
'Nakedly Authoritarian': Trump Taunts Security Guard for Not Being Rough With Woman Protester
"One of his ugliest and most troubling performances in recent memory," one observer said of Trump's rally in Pennsylvania.
During a campaign rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania Tuesday night, just hours after House Democrats unveiled articles of impeachment, President Donald Trump criticized an arena security guard for not being sufficiently rough while removing a woman who protested the event.
"Get her out. Get her out," Trump demanded as his supporters pointed and yelled at the demonstrator, who was wearing a #MeToo hat and holding a sign that read, "Grabbing Power Back."
"See, these guys want to be so politically correct," Trump said of the security guard attempting to escort the demonstrator out of the arena. "You see that? I'll tell you, law enforcement's so great. That particular guy wanted to be so politically correct."
Trump, who has a long history of urging his supporters and law enforcement to attack protesters, went on to mock the security guard for not putting his hands on the woman.
"I don't know who he was," Trump said. "He didn't do the greatest job."
As HuffPost noted, "Trump's call to not be 'politically correct' harkens back to other incidents at his events."
During a rally in 2016, he promised to pay the legal fees of anyone who attacks a protester.
"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?" he said. "Seriously, OK?"
During another event, Trump complained that a protester was receiving high-fives as he left.
"I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you that," he said.
And during a winter event in 2016, Trump told security to take the protesters' coats.
"Throw them out into the cold," he said. "Don't give them their coats. No coats! Confiscate their coats."
Trump's response to the protest Tuesday night marked just one alarming moment in an event that Vox's Aaron Rupar--who live-tweets many of the president's rallies--described as "nakedly authoritarian" and "one of his ugliest and most troubling performances in recent memory."
During the rally, Trump repeated his racist "Pocahontas" slur against Sen. Elizabeth Warren to raucous cheers from his supporters, said the "American nation itself" could collapse if he doesn't win reelection, attacked Medicare for All as a "socialist takeover," jokingly suggested he could stay in office for 29 years, and accused Democrats of attempting to "overthrow our democracy" by moving ahead with impeachment.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
During a campaign rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania Tuesday night, just hours after House Democrats unveiled articles of impeachment, President Donald Trump criticized an arena security guard for not being sufficiently rough while removing a woman who protested the event.
"Get her out. Get her out," Trump demanded as his supporters pointed and yelled at the demonstrator, who was wearing a #MeToo hat and holding a sign that read, "Grabbing Power Back."
"See, these guys want to be so politically correct," Trump said of the security guard attempting to escort the demonstrator out of the arena. "You see that? I'll tell you, law enforcement's so great. That particular guy wanted to be so politically correct."
Trump, who has a long history of urging his supporters and law enforcement to attack protesters, went on to mock the security guard for not putting his hands on the woman.
"I don't know who he was," Trump said. "He didn't do the greatest job."
As HuffPost noted, "Trump's call to not be 'politically correct' harkens back to other incidents at his events."
During a rally in 2016, he promised to pay the legal fees of anyone who attacks a protester.
"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?" he said. "Seriously, OK?"
During another event, Trump complained that a protester was receiving high-fives as he left.
"I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you that," he said.
And during a winter event in 2016, Trump told security to take the protesters' coats.
"Throw them out into the cold," he said. "Don't give them their coats. No coats! Confiscate their coats."
Trump's response to the protest Tuesday night marked just one alarming moment in an event that Vox's Aaron Rupar--who live-tweets many of the president's rallies--described as "nakedly authoritarian" and "one of his ugliest and most troubling performances in recent memory."
During the rally, Trump repeated his racist "Pocahontas" slur against Sen. Elizabeth Warren to raucous cheers from his supporters, said the "American nation itself" could collapse if he doesn't win reelection, attacked Medicare for All as a "socialist takeover," jokingly suggested he could stay in office for 29 years, and accused Democrats of attempting to "overthrow our democracy" by moving ahead with impeachment.
During a campaign rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania Tuesday night, just hours after House Democrats unveiled articles of impeachment, President Donald Trump criticized an arena security guard for not being sufficiently rough while removing a woman who protested the event.
"Get her out. Get her out," Trump demanded as his supporters pointed and yelled at the demonstrator, who was wearing a #MeToo hat and holding a sign that read, "Grabbing Power Back."
"See, these guys want to be so politically correct," Trump said of the security guard attempting to escort the demonstrator out of the arena. "You see that? I'll tell you, law enforcement's so great. That particular guy wanted to be so politically correct."
Trump, who has a long history of urging his supporters and law enforcement to attack protesters, went on to mock the security guard for not putting his hands on the woman.
"I don't know who he was," Trump said. "He didn't do the greatest job."
As HuffPost noted, "Trump's call to not be 'politically correct' harkens back to other incidents at his events."
During a rally in 2016, he promised to pay the legal fees of anyone who attacks a protester.
"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?" he said. "Seriously, OK?"
During another event, Trump complained that a protester was receiving high-fives as he left.
"I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you that," he said.
And during a winter event in 2016, Trump told security to take the protesters' coats.
"Throw them out into the cold," he said. "Don't give them their coats. No coats! Confiscate their coats."
Trump's response to the protest Tuesday night marked just one alarming moment in an event that Vox's Aaron Rupar--who live-tweets many of the president's rallies--described as "nakedly authoritarian" and "one of his ugliest and most troubling performances in recent memory."
During the rally, Trump repeated his racist "Pocahontas" slur against Sen. Elizabeth Warren to raucous cheers from his supporters, said the "American nation itself" could collapse if he doesn't win reelection, attacked Medicare for All as a "socialist takeover," jokingly suggested he could stay in office for 29 years, and accused Democrats of attempting to "overthrow our democracy" by moving ahead with impeachment.