Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 29.Rebecca Droke/The Associated Press
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Comments by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump about police needing “one really violent day” to clamp down on crime have been widely shared, with some likening Mr. Trump’s comments to The Purge film series. Here’s a closer look at what Mr. Trump said.
Trump’s speech was a series of grievances and false claims
At a rally in Erie, Pa., Sunday, Mr. Trump made a series of comments about police using force to combat crime. He said, “We have to let the police do their job, and if they have to be extraordinarily rough,” “if you had one day – like one real rough, nasty day,” “if you had one really violent day” and “one rough hour – and I mean real rough – the word will get out, and it will end immediately.”
These phrases were among a series of statements Mr. Trump made in the course of about four minutes, starting with his recounting of his debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Mr. Trump began by criticizing ABC News debate moderator David Muir for fact-checking his claim that crime was on the rise.
The Associated Press reported on FBI figures that showed violent crime in the U.S. has dropped, continuing a downward trend after a pandemic-era spike. FBI crime statistics do not take into account the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants. The FBI’s report is in line with the findings of the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice, which analyzed crime rates across 39 U.S cities and found that most violent crimes were at or below 2019 levels.
In his Sunday comments, Mr. Trump claimed that theft under a certain amount would not be prosecuted, linking Ms. Harris to the law. “She created something in San Francisco – $950 you’re allowed to steal. Anything above that, you will be prosecuted. Well, it works out that the $950 is a misnomer because you can steal whatever you want. You can go way above. But originally, you saw kids walk in with calculators. They were calculating. They didn’t want to go over the $950. They’re standing with calculators adding it up. You know, these are smart, smart people.”
That was a reference to Proposition 47, passed in California in 2014, which reclassified felony theft offences as misdemeanors. The proposition modified, but did not eliminate, sentencing for many nonviolent property and drug crimes. Ms. Harris was Attorney-General of California at this time, serving from 2011 to 2017.
Is Trump advocating a ‘Purge’?
The Purge is a series of films – the first one was released in 2013 – and a 2018 TV show. Their premise is an annual event in which all crime in the United States, including murder, is legal for a 12-hour period. While not downplaying his rhetoric, Mr. Trump was not literally advocating for individuals to engage in serious criminal acts without consequences. He was apparently urging violent actions by law enforcement, which he has done in the past. He made comments about police using more force in 2017 and when he urged governors to use force against people protesting the death of George Floyd in 2020.
A Trump campaign representative told Politico that Mr. Trump was “clearly just floating [the idea] in jest.”
With a report by The Associated Press