Trump calls ‘lunatics’ obstructing U.S. recovery

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 13 (local time) claimed in an interview with NBC that “extreme-left lunatics are obstructing America’s recovery.” The previous day before, he announced the arrest of a suspect in the assassination plot against Charlie Kirk, founder and president of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, saying, “I hope he gets the death penalty.” The assassination plot has intensified Trump’s attacks on the progressive camp, as well as on his core Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters, raising concerns that ideological conflicts in American society could deepen further.

When asked about Kirk’s assassination plot, Trump said, “We want to see America recover, but we are dealing with extreme-left lunatic groups.” He also criticized George Soros, a Democratic Party megadonor and a major figure in the U.S. hedge fund industry, calling him “a bad person who should go to jail.” Trump has long claimed that Soros supports not only the progressive camp but also protests against him personally.

The New York Times reported on Sept. 13 that Trump portrayed the Democratic Party as a source of political violence and signaled his intention to crack down on opposing forces and left-wing groups. The Financial Times of the United Kingdom also noted that Trump could use Kirk’s death to justify suppressing the U.S. left, adding, “Anger demanding retaliation is rising among some segments of the right.”


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