Donald Trump sparked controversy on Sunday after calling for “one real rough, nasty” and “violent day” of police retaliation to eliminate crime “immediately.” The remarks, made during a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, came just 36 days before the 2024 presidential election.
Though Trump has a history of tough-on-crime rhetoric, his latest comments have drawn sharp criticism. According to a Trump campaign official, the former president was not presenting a new policy but making a point about law enforcement.
Trump’s Call for a ‘Violent Day’
During his speech, Trump suggested that a single day of rough police action could end crime overnight. He said, “One rough hour — and I mean real rough — the word will get out, and it will end immediately.“
When asked if this amounted to a new policy proposal, a campaign official downplayed the comments. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, said the former president was “clearly just floating it in jest” and emphasized that Trump has always been a “law and order” candidate.
Cheung also criticized Kamala Harris, saying she “emboldened criminals” during her time as California Attorney General. He claimed that under Harris’ watch, crime surged in certain American communities, a claim the Harris campaign has consistently disputed.
The California Crime Debate
Trump referenced California’s Proposition 47 in his speech, alleging it allows people to steal up to $950 worth of merchandise without consequence. However, this claim is misleading. Proposition 47, passed during Harris’ tenure as Attorney General, reclassified some theft offenses from felonies to misdemeanors but did not legalize theft. In fact, the $950 threshold for felony theft was established in 2010 under Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, four years before Proposition 47 passed.
Contrary to Trump’s claims, national crime statistics show a decrease in property crime over the last year, according to FBI data.
Trump’s History of Endorsing Police Violence
This isn’t the first time Trump has endorsed aggressive police tactics. In 2017, he told police officers not to be “too nice” when arresting suspects. More infamously, Trump praised law enforcement’s response to the racial unrest following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, calling their actions “a beautiful thing to watch.”
These remarks have frequently been criticized by civil rights advocates as incitements of violence, but they have also bolstered Trump’s image among his base as a candidate committed to law and order.
Harris Campaign’s Response
The Harris campaign responded to Trump’s latest comments by posting a clip of his speech on X (formerly Twitter) but declined to comment further. Harris has frequently been the target of Trump’s attacks, especially on issues related to crime and public safety.
As Trump’s law-and-order rhetoric intensifies ahead of the November election, his strategy appears to focus on portraying his opponents as weak on crime. With early voting underway in many states, it remains to be seen whether these comments will sway undecided voters.
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