Former President Donald J. Trump posted a video on his social media website on Friday showing an image of President Biden with his hands and feet bound.
Early Friday afternoon, Trump posted a video on Truth Social that purported to have been filmed on Long Island on Thursday, as Trump attended the vigil for a slain New York City police officer in Massapequa Park, New York. They moved trucks decorated with flags and decals supporting Trump. The second vehicle has a portrait of Biden on its tailgate.
Creepy images targeting Trump's perceived enemies are frequently circulated online by right-wing provocateurs and pro-Trump supporters, and in some cases have been brought up at conservative conferences. Photos of trucks with similar images of Biden have been shared on social media, and online sellers are selling vehicle stickers with the images.
Mr. Trump's promotion of the video featuring the image reflects his increasingly vitriolic and personal attacks on Mr. Biden. For example, Trump said in a speech this month that “everything Joe Biden touches turns to filth.” It's a bad name and adds to the former president's record of posting violent images on his social media accounts.
Representatives for the Biden campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
“The photo was in the bed of a pickup truck that was driving down the highway,” Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Chan said, adding, “Democrats and crazed lunatics have committed a despicable act of violence against President Trump and his family. They are actually using the justice system as a weapon against him.'' ”
The video was still posted on Trump's Truth Social page late Friday night.
The Trump campaign has repeatedly cited Democratic statements from the past few years to defend Trump's rhetoric. On Friday, Zhang pointed to Biden's 2018 statement in which he mentioned Trump and said, “If we were in high school, we would take him to the back of the gym and beat the hell out of him.” I guess so.'' ” Biden was responding to comments Trump made about women in a tape related to the show “Access Hollywood.”
Mr. Trump has previously posted doctored photos and videos depicting him physically attacking political opponents, with a particular focus on Mr. Biden last year. For example, the former president has repeatedly shared videos showing him hitting Biden with a golf ball. Mr. Trump last year was photographed holding a baseball bat next to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who is prosecuting Mr. Trump in connection with hush money payments made to porn stars during the 2016 campaign. Posted.
Mr. Trump has also used increasingly authoritarian rhetoric on the campaign trail, repeatedly saying that immigrants “taint the blood of our country,” and in his Veterans Day speech last year saying he would “exterminate” his political opponents. “It should be a pest.” ”
Trump said this month that some immigrants are “not human beings” and, during a debate about the auto industry, said the country would face “bloodshed” if he loses the election. A few days later, he attacked Jewish Democrats in a radio interview, saying that Jews who vote for Democrats hate their religion and Israel.