Kathrine Frich
With no warning, he launched into a harsh critique.
When leaders talk about national security, they usually point across the ocean.
Our focus tends to land on hostile nations or global conflicts that keep military commanders awake at night.
But sometimes, a politician decides the real danger is sitting right next door.
Shifting the focus
President Donald Trump has a new target when it comes to the biggest danger facing the United States. He is currently navigating a war with Iran that began in February, and he regularly criticizes China. Even so, he did not name any foreign powers.
Instead, the president pointed his finger straight at American communities during a recent broadcast on Fox News. According to Trump, the real threat comes from places run by the Democratic party.
This declaration arrived during an unusual pivot. Trump had been defending the massive data centers needed to power artificial intelligence, according to HuffPost.
Defending the data
Many local communities have tried to block these power-hungry facilities. But the president brushed those concerns aside to praise the massive tech hubs.
“Data centers, if you look at the stats, everything’s good around them,” Trump said during the broadcast.
He then abruptly shifted his attention away from technology. With no warning, he launched into a harsh critique of Democratic strongholds.
“Now, the thing they should look at is, blue states and blue cities. Cities run by Democrats. Because that’s really the threat to the country. Because they’re a disaster,” Trump said.
Escalating the rhetoric
This television appearance fits into a wider pattern. Over the last few weeks, Trump has ramped up his verbal assaults on Democratic areas, often labeling his political opponents as communists.
He has also begun using increasingly graphic language to describe left-leaning urban centers. During a separate rant earlier in the week, he called the cities filthy and grimy.
“They’re all dirty,” Trump said of the cities. “They’re filthy dirty.”
He took the insults a step further by extending them to the residents themselves. “The people are, I hate to say this, not clean. OK?” he added.
Pushing back online
Unsurprisingly, the sweeping comments caught the attention of prominent Democrats. Shortly after the Fox News interview went live, California Governor Gavin Newsom jumped into the fray.
As the leader of a heavily blue state and the former mayor of San Francisco, Newsom took the remarks personally.
He quickly logged onto social media to offer the president a blunt reminder.
Sources: HuffPost, Fox News
