President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of the “radical left” for efforts to remove statues of historical figures linked to slavery during a rally in Michigan, after the state governor accused him of fomenting division after a plot to kidnap her.
Trump told supporters in Muskegon on Saturday that one of the biggest issues in his run against Democrat Joe Biden is “the radical left’s plan to erase American history, purge American values, and destroy the American way of life and that’s what they’re trying to do. ” do.”
He scoffed at discussions about removing statues that have gained popularity in recent months after nationwide protests brought attention to police brutality against people of color.
“This election will decide whether we preserve our magnificent heritage or whether we allow radical left-wing radicals to erase everything,” he said.
Earlier this month, federal authorities charged members of the right-wing militia in connection with a plot to overthrow the Michigan government by storming the Capitol, kidnapping Governor Gretchen Whitmer and trying her for treason. Whitmer, a Democrat, blamed Trump for creating an environment that encourages radical criminal behavior.
The president earlier this year issued a tweet urging citizens to “liberate” their states amid closures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the kidnapping plot took root before Trump’s tweet.
“You have to get your governor to open your state,” Trump said at the Muskegon rally. The crowd responded with a chant of “lock her up”, to which Trump responded “lock them all up.”
Trump is scheduled to hold a second rally later in the evening in Janesville, Wisconsin.
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