Trump says Democrats are ‘running a Gestapo administration’ at annual Republican National Committee retreat

CNN
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Former President Donald Trump intensified his attacks on Democrats on Saturday at a private lunch hosted at his Mar-a-Lago club, during which he referred to Democrats as “running a Gestapo administration” – equating the administration of the president Joe Biden to Nazi Germany, according to three participants.

The comments were part of a broader speech, during which the former president accused the Biden administration of being behind the four criminal charges he faces.

The fundraiser served as the main attraction during the RNC’s annual retreat in Palm Beach. Hundreds of people attended the event, and several participants donated $40,000 or more, sources familiar with the fundraiser told CNN.

Trump swore repeatedly throughout his speech, attendees said, including while criticizing special counsel Jack Smith and other prosecutors who have charged him with criminal charges.

The comments were part of a roughly 90-minute speech in which he touted his recent fundraising numbers and praised his vice presidential candidates, claiming many people were “begging” to serve as his running mate, two said. of the participants.

Trump took the stage Saturday to record a Jan. 6 anthem with several people convicted for their roles in the 2021 Capitol attack — a song his campaign frequently performs at his rallies.

At one point during the event, Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, Lara Trump, presented the former president with a Billboard Music Award for the song, titled “Justice for All,” which topped Billboard’s digital sales chart last year. . .

At another point, Trump called those gathered at his resort and offered them the opportunity to speak at the podium for $1 million, the three attendees said. At the end, two donors took the stage, with one of them using the podium to assert that God chose Trump to lead the country, they said.

Trump also praised efforts to prevent cheating in the upcoming election by RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, attendees told CNN. During his comments, Trump said he would need an attorney general with “courage” while mocking his former attorney general, William Barr, according to the New York Times. Barr, who has been a fierce critic of Trump since leaving his administration, recently supported the former president.

Trump also spent several minutes praising former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and removed from office in 2009 on corruption charges, attendees said. Trump commuted Blagojevich’s prison sentence in 2020. Blagojevich told CNN that he considers himself a “Trumpocrat,” which he described as a Democrat who supports Trump.

Later on Saturday, Trump hosted a birthday party at Mar-a-Lago for Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, who served as one of Trump’s presidential doctors while in office, several attendees said. The former president took advantage of the event, which also served as a fundraising opportunity, to make comments about his campaign against Biden.