When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, many young people who now have a chance to vote were in middle school and high school. Nearly a decade later, and with his name on the Republican ticket for the third time, Trump has been a prominent figure in the zeitgeist for a majority of some people’s adult lives. Trump has become so infamous for outlandish claims, spreading false information, and outrageous viral soundbites that many in the US have become numb to his harmful antics and the division he’s caused.
Yet as Election Day 2024 approaches, it’s worth pausing to take a closer look at the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign and what Trump has been up to lately. Polls indicate that the race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris remains neck and neck, meaning there is a very real chance that he could win reelection. If he does, he has pledged to put recently arrived immigrants in camps and carry out “mass deportations,” open up the US to more fossil fuel drilling, and go after his political rivals. Democrats are also concerned that at least one Supreme Court justice could step down during a second Trump administration, given that his appointments during his presidency created the most conservative Supreme Court in decades, leading to extreme decisions like overturning Roe v. Wade.
Trump has made clear who he is and how he intends to govern if given the chance. Below is a list of notable incidents from just the last few weeks, including a mix of genuine flirtation with authoritarianism and absurd through-the-looking-glass moments.
1. Pushing cat-eating lies about Haitian immigrants
“They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats” went viral online following the presidential debate against Harris in September, but the real-life implications of his statement were anything but funny. Trump’s comments targeted Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, making baseless claims that they were eating the pets of local residents. Because of this rhetoric, residents in the area have faced real threats—including a bomb threat at a Springfield school.
2. Dancing for 39 minutes straight at a rally
A seemingly innocuous occurrence at a rally had some people questioning Trump’s cognitive function and ability to serve as commander-in-chief. Though Trump’s campaign largely focused on President Joe Biden’s age while he was still running for reelection, the focus has now shifted to Trump’s own ability to make decisions at the age of 78. If elected, Trump will be the oldest president to be inaugurated.
While Democrats are demanding proof of his medical records and ability to serve, a bizarre situation at one of a mid-October town hall seemingly answered the question of whether he’s losing it or not. After the event was disrupted by an attendee’s medical emergency, Trump stood on stage for 39 minutes, swaying and bopping around to his favorite playlist. (Featuring “Nothing Compares 2 U,” by Sinead O’Connor and “Memory” from the musical Cats). “Let’s not do any more questions. Let’s just listen to music,” Trump told the crowd. “Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?”
The incident was strange, even by Trump standards, prompting many to genuinely wonder whether he’s capable to run the country.
3. Refusing (once again) to commit to a peaceful transfer of power
Following his loss in the 2020 election, Trump repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, while simultaneously downplaying his involvement in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. Despite being indicted for attempting to overturn the results of that election, Trump has not admitted his role in encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol. Trump took nearly three hours to tell his supporters to stop looting and rioting at the building, where Congress was gathered to certify the election results.
Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago this October, Trump continued to insist that there was a peaceful transfer of power and downplayed the events of January 6, saying, “It was peace and love.” Trump’s running mate JD Vance has sidestepped questions about 2020, saying, “I’m focused on the future.”
(Special counsel Jack Smith’s case into Trump’s election interference is ongoing).
4. Threatening to use military force against people who disagree with his candidacy
The conspiratorial threads that Trump has woven to his followers seem never-ending, but now he’s threatening to use the armed forces against “radical left lunatics” on Election Day. During an October 14 interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Trump was asked if he was worried his supporters might cause chaos as people head to the polls. Trump swiftly shifted focus to his opponents.
“I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people,” Trump said. “I think it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen.”
5. Proposing a Purge-like situation
Yes, really. During a September rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump went on a rant about his solution to property crime across the US, suggesting that a day of unchecked police violence could eradicate crime. His idea to have “one really violent day” of policing has been likened to the fictional film series The Purge, where people are allowed to commit any crime they want for 24 hours.
“One rough hour—and I mean real rough—the word will get out and it will end immediately, you know? It will end immediately,” Trump said.
Following the concerning remarks, his campaign said in a statement that the former president has “always been the law and order President and he continues to reiterate the importance of enforcing existing laws.” Reminder: only one candidate has been found guilty on 34 felony counts and is still awaiting the outcome in several other federal criminal cases, and it isn’t Harris.
6. Calling VP Harris “mentally disabled”
Trump has never been above low blows and insults, but the outlandish rhetoric against Harris has only escalated as Election Day inches closer. During his rally in Erie in September, Trump took it a step further by calling VP Harris “mentally impaired” and “mentally disabled.”
“Crooked Joe Biden became mentally impaired,” he said during the rally. “Sad. But lying Kamala Harris, honestly, I believe she was born that way. There’s something wrong with Kamala. And I just don’t know what it is, but there is definitely something missing. And you know what, everybody knows it.”
Trump also claimed that Harris was directly responsible for issues at the US-Mexico border and should be “impeached and prosecuted.” His claim is that “thousands” will be murdered at the border because of her actions.
The New York Times also reported that Trump lashed out against Harris at a private dinner, calling her the r-word.
7. Linked crime to “bad genetics”
Trump’s outward racism and xenophobia against immigrants have been consistent parts of his campaigns and presidency, meaning it’s difficult to keep up with the many offensive things he has said over the years. But his attacks on migrants have been chilling during this current campaign, including one particular statement he made about immigrants committing crimes because “it’s in their genes.”
“How about allowing people to come to an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers, many of them murdered far more than one person, and they’re now happily living in the United States,” Trump said during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt earlier this month. “I believe this, it’s in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.”
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