March 19, 2024 - 9:30pm

Donald Trump defended his recent use of the word “bloodbath” in an interview with Nigel Farage broadcast today.

“The word ‘bloodbath’ […] all the people that are complaining about it, they all use it. It’s a commonly used phrase,” the former president said. “When you’re getting slaughtered economically, when you’re getting slaughtered socially, when you’re getting slaughtered. And they use it all the time.”

Trump came under heavy criticism over the weekend for saying there would be a “bloodbath” in the country under a second Joe Biden term, in the context of discussing the auto industry during an Ohio speech. Many media outlets interpreted the comment as a threat of violence if he were to lose in November, but Trump reiterated that the comments were specifically in reference to automobiles.

The 77-year-old also repeated his warning about Biden’s plans for the auto industry, arguing that the President wants to go all-in on electric, which requires materials from China.

“They don’t go far, they cost too much […] The electric mandate is going to destroy the auto industry and I said it’s going to be a bloodbath. It’s gonna be a terrible bloodbath for the auto industry,” Trump said. “I guarantee you that the people within that industry, all the workers are with me, because United Auto Workers is going to be put out of business.”

The Biden administration has created emissions regulations for car manufacturers aimed at pushing consumers towards electric cars, but recently relaxed those rules in an apparent effort to court labour unions within the industry. The United Auto Workers union has endorsed Biden, though there is a growing tension between the political beliefs of workers and the unions which represent them. Meanwhile Teamsters, another massive labour union, recently gave $45,000 to the Republican National Committee.

During the Farage interview for GB News, Trump also discussed foreign policy. He argued that the wars in Russia and Gaza wouldn’t be happening if he were in office, and reiterated his belief that he could negotiate an end to the fighting with Vladimir Putin. He added that he would keep the US in Nato, so long as member states began paying their “fair share” of military expenses.

“It’s a form of negotiation. Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money and the United States was paying for most of Nato,” he said. “But now they’re paying because of those comments that you saw two, three weeks ago. I don’t know if you know, but a lot of money’s come in since those comments were made.”


is UnHerd’s US correspondent.

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