Former US President Donald Trump faced backlash after a video posted on his social media network included references to a “unified Reich” among hypothetical news headlines if he wins the election in November. The 30-second video, which appeared on Trump’s account, featured messages such as “Trump wins!!” and “Economy booms!” along with references to World War I.
The use of the word “Reich” raised concerns as it is often associated with Nazi Germany’s Third Reich. However, the references in the video seemed to allude to the formation of the modern pan-German nation in 1871. The video was shared while Trump was on a lunch break from his Manhattan hush money trial and was later deleted.
Critics pointed out that Trump has a history of using language and rhetoric associated with Nazi Germany. He has previously made statements comparing Biden’s administration to the Gestapo and referred to immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country.” Trump’s association with white nationalists and his controversial remarks have sparked widespread backlash.
The video, created by a meme creator known as Ramble_Rants, defended the content as being about “American peace and prosperity.” The creator explained that the historical headlines in the video were pre-selected from a stock video company template.
Despite the backlash, Trump’s campaign press secretary clarified that the video was not created by the campaign but was reposted by a staffer. The incident adds to the ongoing controversy surrounding Trump’s rhetoric and associations with extremist groups.