Former President Donald Trump floated the idea of a new “migrant fighting league” during his latest rally speeches, creating both condemnation and chuckles across the political spectrum. Speaking first at a gathering of Christian conservatives in Washington, D.C., and later in Philadelphia, Trump’s off-the-cuff proposal ignited some heated debates.
During his address, Trump suggested to UFC President Dana White that creating a fight league with migrants could be a lucrative venture. “Dana, I have an idea for you to make a lot of money. You’re going to go and start a new migrant fight league. Migrants, only migrants. And then at the end of the year, the champion migrant is going to fight your champion. And I hate to tell you Dana, I think the migrant might win. That’s how tough they are. They’re just getting comfortable now. They’re going to start hitting us very hard,” Trump joked.
The response was scathing, particularly from CNN’s Jim Acosta, who aired the clip on his show, visibly appalled. “This is ugly stuff,” he criticized. Echoing the sentiment, Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha commented, “I find it really disgusting. He just keeps throwing so much red bait to the base of his party… it just crosses the line over and over again.”
“Family separations and everything else we’ve seen during the Trump presidency… they’re talking about deportation camps in this country. Fight clubs, I mean, come on. At what point does your side say enough is enough on that kind of rhetoric? It’s dehumanizing,” Acosta pressed.
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Yet, conservative voices like analyst Scott Jennings argued that Trump’s remarks, while controversial, are not to be taken at face value. “This is not a serious… He’s clearly joking at these rallies, but he’s drawing attention to something that’s no laughing matter, and that’s the violence being committed against a number of people,” Jennings explained.
Dana White, speaking at a UFC event in Saudi Arabia, confirmed Trump did mention the idea, but reassured the public, “No, it was a joke. It was a joke. I saw everybody going crazy online, but yeah he did say it.”
Amidst the uproar, recent polls reveal Trump is making significant gains among Black and Hispanic voters as he positions himself against Joe Biden for the 2024 presidential race, potentially setting historic records for a Republican candidate. As the debate rages on, it’s clear Trump’s knack for stirring the pot is as potent as ever.
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