Trump shock: 'I wouldn't mind if they shot the media. Dems will cheat"

Donald Trump has stepped up his incendiary rhetoric against the media, European nations and even the polls, accusing them of plotting and deception against his campaign. During a rally in Pennsylvania, a key venue for presidential candidates, Trump sounded out words aimed at heating up the spirits of his supporters, generating controversy even among his own allies.

The shock statements were not long in coming. Trump expressed his contempt for the media, described as 'seriously corrupt', going so far as to say that he would not 'mind if someone shot the media'. The words, uttered during the rally, caused outrage among observers, as they seem to justify violent hostility towards the press, a fundamental pillar of democracy. The former president is no stranger to outbursts against journalists, whom he has called 'enemies of the people' in the past, but this statement raised further concern about the climate of intolerance that could ensue.

Not only the press, but also Europe ended up in Trump's crosshairs. In a speech enriched with polemical references and jokes, the tycoon accused European countries of 'robbing' the United States. "They think we're stupid," he said, even playing a caricature version of Angela Merkel with a German accent to underline his irritation with the economic policies of the European continent. Trump then threatened to raise further tariffs against Europe, accusing it of taking advantage of America, an argument that had already found ample space during his term in office, generating a backdrop of trade tensions.

Trump challenged the legitimacy of polls, particularly those of the New York Times, which he called 'fake' and 'corrupt'. His team has accused the newspaper of manipulating data to discourage voters by circulating polls that would give Trump behind Vice President Kamala Harris. For the former president, such polls would be part of a 'plot' to 'suppress' the support of his voters. This is not the first time that Trump has raised doubts about the integrity of the polls and the media, a strategy that seems to be aimed at delegitimising any unfavourable results for his campaign.

The climate of distrust extends to the electoral process itself. Trump has insinuated that the Democrats are planning fraud to secure victory at the ballot box. Kamala Harris has been labelled a 'left-wing extremist' and 'corrupt'. Trump reiterated that the Democrats will try to extend the time for the results to be announced, insinuating that the aim is to manipulate the outcome in their favour. The former president also stated that such behaviour deserves jail time.