Trump defends ‘bloodbath’ comments in fiery Truth Social post: Live

Former president Donald Trump is once again facing criticism over his use of inflammatory rhetoric after he declared at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday evening: “If I don’t get elected it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”

The Republican presidential challenger used the phrase as part of a dire econominc forecast for the American auto industry but was swiftly rebuked by the White House over its wider implications, with spokespeople for Joe Biden accusing him of “endorsing political violence” – particularly given that the candidate had also bemoaned the fate of the “J6 hostages” at the same event.

The luxury real estate mogul has since hit back on Truth Social, claiming the media is only “pretending to be shocked” by his choice of words.

Mr Trump gave an interview to Fox News journalist Howard Kurtz over the weekend in which he again attacked the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for making jokes at his expense, doubled-down on comparing migrants to “vermin” and on his call to “terminate” parts of the US Constitution and floated the prospect of supporting a 16-week national abortion ban in an overt appeal to the Christian right.

Here’s Trump claiming the media has willfully misinterpreted his comments over the weekend in order to discredit him.

Kurtz also offered Trump the chance to hit back again at Jimmy Kimmel after the late-night host read out a Truth Social attack on him during last week’s Oscars, asking: “Isn’t it past your jail time?”

Never one to brush off an insult with good humour, the Republican took the bait.

Here’s more from Amelia Neath.

‘He’s not a talented guy. I hear he hits me all the time, so I figured I’d hit him because I thought he was a lousy host,’ the former president told Fox