Reacting to a report that Donald Trump equated President Joe Biden's administration to Germany's Nazi regime and legal authorities pursuing him for criminal activity as the Gestapo, MSNBC host Jose Diaz-Balart first blew up and then lashed out at the ex-president.
As the former president's 34-felony count trial took a break in proceedings on Monday, the MSNBC host took the time to address the Trump smear made during a 90-minute speech offered up at a Mar-a-Lago luncheon before conservative donors on Saturday.
"On Saturday at the RNC donor retreat there, Trump compared the Biden administration to the Gestapo according to audio obtained by NBC News," he reported before suddenly exclaiming, "What the hell?"
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The Washington Post's Philip Rucker replied, "Well, you know, there's a pattern here of Donald Trump, who has been trying to use these criminal indictments against him, not just the one in New York where he's standing trial right now, but the federal indictments relating to his misuse of classified documents and election interference to argue to his supporters that the criminal justice system is working unfairly against him, that these are politically motivated."
He then added, "This is a messaging tactic that Trump and his allies have used to build support within the Republican Party around his 2024 candidacy."
"You know, I think, Phil, I asked that question and I appreciate your thoughts on it," the MSNBC host replied before haltingly stating, "You know, just Hitler, Gestapo, SS — these are such horrible, horrendous people and what that system did. It's just — to compare anything with that is such a — such an insult."
"Yeah," Rucker replied. "Well, the persecution of Nazi Germany was a very different kind of affair historically. Obviously, that was an assault against a whole people, against all the Jewish people in many parts of Europe. That's not, of course, what we see happening here with the criminal prosecution of one man, of Donald Trump."
MSNBC 05 06 2024 11 35 41 youtu.be
