Former President Donald J. Trump posted a video on his social media website, Truth Social, featuring an image of President Biden with his hands and feet tied together. The video was filmed on Long Island and shows two trucks decorated with Trump flags and decals. The tailgate of one truck features the image of Mr. Biden. This kind of macabre imagery targeting Trump’s perceived enemies is not uncommon among right-wing groups and online vendors even sell vehicle stickers with similar images.
The video reflects the increasingly caustic and personal attacks that Trump has directed against Biden. Trump has used violent imagery on his social media accounts before, including photos and videos depicting him physically attacking political opponents. He has also used authoritarian language on the campaign trail, describing migrants as “poisoning the blood of our country” and referring to his political opponents as “vermin” who need to be “rooted out.” Despite the controversial nature of the video, it remained on Trump’s Truth Social page as of late Friday evening.
The Trump campaign has defended his rhetoric by citing past statements made by Democrats, such as a statement by Biden in 2018 where he mentioned wanting to “beat the hell” out of Trump behind a gym. Trump’s camp also mentioned the use of violent language by Democrats and “crazed lunatics” who have called for violence against Trump and his family. A representative for the Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the video.
Mr. Trump has a history of using violent imagery and authoritarian language, particularly targeting Mr. Biden. In the past year, he has shared videos of himself hitting Biden with golf balls and has posted photos of himself holding a baseball bat next to Alvin L. Bragg, who is prosecuting Trump in connection to a hush money payment made to a porn star during the 2016 campaign. This kind of imagery and language has raised concerns about the impact it may have on political discourse and public perception.
Overall, the video featuring the image of Biden tied up adds to Trump’s record of using violent and aggressive imagery against his political opponents. His rhetoric and language have been criticized for being inflammatory and divisive, with some expressing concerns about the potential consequences of such actions. The video has sparked controversy and debate online, with supporters and critics voicing their views on the matter. The use of such imagery and language in political discourse continues to be a topic of discussion and concern.
