By Deutsche Welle
21 Jul 2024, 18:13 PM EDT
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has dismissed concerns that his leadership is a threat to US democracy and denied being an “extremist.”
“I’m not an extremist at all,” Trump insisted, dismissing his alleged links to “Project 2025,” a radical manifesto led by figures close to him that has been described by his opponents as an authoritarian, right-wing wish list.
“Project 2025” represents a right-wing conservative roadmap for the next Republican president. The unofficial policy concept for a second Trump administration was created by the Heritage Foundation and supported by many other conservative organizations and think tanks.
The tycoon continued his campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan (northeast), a “fundamental state” that he won in 2016 but which Biden snatched from him in 2020, and promised his supporters “a monumental tidal wave” in favor of the Republicans in the November elections.
Mockery and insults to Biden and anti-immigrant diatribe
Trump mocked Democrats “who don’t know who their candidate is” and said President Joe Biden, who is facing harsh criticism over his physical and mental fitness to continue campaigning, is “stupid” and has an IQ of “50, 60 or 70.”
In a nearly two-hour speech, he renewed his tirade against immigrants, whom he accuses of the worst crimes, and promised the “largest expulsion operation” in U.S. history.
Following the rally, the Biden-Harris campaign accused Trump of “peddling the same lies (and) waging the same campaign of revenge and retaliation.”
On the other side, Biden, 81, and his campaign team announced their withdrawal from the race and reinforced their support for Kamala Harris.
There has been much speculation about who might replace him. As vice president, Harris seems best positioned for that task.
Influential Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told MSNBC that she is “very hopeful” that if Biden “decides to step back, we have Vice President Kamala Harris, who is ready to step forward, unite the party, take on Donald Trump and win in November.”
Attacks against the president could backfire
Biden’s withdrawal from the race could destabilize Republicans, who would be forced to review their electoral strategy, which was detailed at length during the four days of the convention held this week in Milwaukee.
Biden’s health is a central theme of the Republican campaign, and the number of pieces of electoral propaganda featuring a president who makes gaffes, stutters or stumbles is increasing.
At 78, Trump was careful not to attack Biden for his health during his speech at the convention, where he was officially nominated as the candidate.
The arguments could backfire if current Vice President Harris, 59, becomes his rival.
The presidential elections in the United States will be held on November 5.
Keep reading:
- Kamala Harris or Michelle Obama: Who is the best choice for the US presidency?
- Obama praises Biden after dropping out but avoids endorsing Kamala Harris
- Donald Trump reacted to Joe Biden’s resignation from his re-election: “He was not fit to be president”