On every front this week, former President Donald Trump has been on the offensive. He’s thrown around dangerously heated rhetoric towards his political opponents and is aggressively lobbying for legislative changes as the Fourth of July deadline looms. He took turns on the off-hand with New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. On social media, he called him a “communist lunatic.” This comment reflects Trump’s broader strategy of confronting perceived threats to his political ideals.
Here’s why Trump is targeting Mamdani so aggressively. As he does that, he’s encouraging Congress to send him a multi-year bill by the Fourth of July recess. Biden has described the legislation as critical for regaining America’s competitive economic advantage. In furtherance of this, Trump recently made an appearance in a notoriously criticized migrant detention center located in the Florida Everglades. There, he unapologetically endorsed the extreme conditions of confinement detainees are meant to endure.
Chaperoned by Florida’s hard-right Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump embraced the controversial nature of the facility, stating, “It might be as good as the real Alcatraz. A little controversial, but I couldn’t care less.” Trump’s visit underscored his commitment to stringent immigration policies, reinforcing his position among his base.
Beyond his comments on immigration policy, Trump has recently threatened to sue CNN. He accused the network of promoting an application designed to help users avoid detection by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Trump’s administration is reportedly coordinating with the Department of Justice to explore prosecution options against such entities, which he claims are illegally encouraging individuals to evade law enforcement.
“We’re working with the Department of Justice to see if we can prosecute them, because what they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities and operations. We’re going to actually go after them and prosecute them. What they’re doing is illegal.” – Kristi Noem
Trump’s comments about Mamdani turned very ugly. He argued that revoking Mamdani’s U.S. citizenship should be an option to deter foreign-born citizens convicted of political violence from returning. But this claim drew the swift ire of Mamdani himself, whose public response was blistering.
“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.” – Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani criticized Trump’s remarks as an attack on democracy itself. He claimed they are used to intimidate anyone who might stand against him.
“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation.” – Zohran Mamdani
In talking to his supporters, Trump has doubled down on his assertions about the economic impact of his infrastructure legislation. He underscored that growth should be the overriding theme of what he’s dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” He argued that it has the potential to free up historic investments in America.
“Nobody wants to talk about GROWTH, which will be the primary reason that the Big, Beautiful Bill will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation ever passed. THIS GROWTH has already begun at levels never seen before.” – Donald Trump
During his campaign, Trump mused often on the sad state of America. He argues that it has changed from being a “DEAD” country to the “HOTALTEST NATION IN THE WORLD.” He begged Republicans to ignore all the Democrats and stand up and fight for his policies.
“Our Country will make a fortune this year, more than any of our competitors, but only if the Big, Beautiful Bill is PASSED! As they say, Trump’s been right about everything.” – Donald Trump
Trump greatly increased his legal threats against CBS to an unbelievable $20 billion. This follows his $10 billion dollar defamation lawsuit he filed last October, alleging they engaged in misleading, discriminatory editing of an interview with Kamala Harris that was broadcast on “60 Minutes.” His ongoing court cases have kept Americans glued to their TVs, wondering how these things will affect his political future.
At a rally last month, as he described his plans to the crowd, Trump gestured in zigzags with his hands. He cautioned anyone considering an escape from the detention center he toured. His comments have been rightfully condemned for inflating a serious debate about immigration and detention practices.