At a private donor event, Trump likens the Biden administration to the 'Gestapo'

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump compared President Joe Biden’s administration to the secret police force of Nazi Germany in remarks at a private, closed-door donor retreat on Saturday afternoon.

The former president’s comments came as he was talking about his legal troubles, attacking the prosecutors in the cases and bemoaning the recent indictments in Arizona of several of his former top aides, along with 11 so-called fake electors from the 2020 election.

“These people are running a Gestapo administration,” Trump said, according to audio of the luncheon provided to NBC News. “And it’s the only thing they have. And it’s the only way they’re going to win in their opinion.”

“Once I got indicted, I said well, now the gloves have to come off,” Trump added, saying Biden is “the worst president in the history of our country. He’s grossly incompetent. He’s crooked as hell. He’s the Manchurian candidate."

The former president added that he doesn’t let his legal troubles bother him too much.

“If you care too much, you tend to choke. And in a way, I don’t care. It’s just you know, life is life,” he said.

He did admit, however, that he was surprised when he was indicted.

“Once I got indicted, I said, ‘Holy s---, I just got indicted. Me. I got indicted,’” Trump said.

He also called Jack Smith, the special counsel prosecuting two federal cases against Trump, an "evil thug" and "deranged."

The Biden campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.

Trump made his remarks at his Mar-a-Lago Club on Saturday afternoon, as hundreds of donors are gathered down here for the Republican National Committee’s spring retreat.

The former president has had limited time to campaign as he's had to spend four days a week sitting in a