In a recent Fox News interview, former President Donald J. Trump revived false claims related to immigration, asserting that Latin American governments were selectively sending unwanted citizens to the U.S. border. This statement echoed a central theme from his 2016 campaign, where he famously claimed that Mexico was sending criminals and rapists to the United States.
During the interview on “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Trump also made baseless accusations against the Chinese Communist Party, suggesting that it orchestrated illegal immigration into the United States. Furthermore, he claimed that China would attempt to interfere in the upcoming presidential election. Despite lacking evidence, Trump expressed admiration for Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating that he liked him “a lot.”
When asked about the possibility of “military-aged men” from China being directed by the Communist Party to come to the United States, Trump responded affirmatively, stating, “I believe so.” However, these assertions were unsupported by any credible evidence.
This narrative mirrored Trump’s previous controversial comments during his 2015 campaign, where he asserted that Mexico was not sending its best citizens and accused migrants of bringing drugs, crime, and being rapists. Despite facing widespread criticism for these remarks, Trump continued to perpetuate unfounded claims, including falsely stating that migrants from South and Central America were coming from “mental institutions” and jails.
Trump’s interview occurred before the military strikes on multiple Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen on Saturday. While the conversation touched on immigration and international affairs, Trump also discussed domestic politics.
The discussion about McDaniel’s future took place as the Republican Party convened in Las Vegas for its annual meeting, where Trump’s influence over the R.N.C. and McDaniel’s leadership were central topics. Despite recommending McDaniel for the chairwoman position in 2016 and her loyalty during the 2020 election, Trump hinted at changes. The former president’s influence over the party was evident in his refusal to participate in primary debates, pressuring the party to cancel future debates.
On another front, Trump’s last Republican primary opponent, Nikki Haley, appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” and accused Trump of playing politics with border security. She criticized him for urging Republicans to delay addressing immigration until after the election, claiming that he was trying to avoid aiding President Biden. Haley also addressed previous comments about Texas’s right to secede, clarifying that while secession is unconstitutional, she understood people’s frustrations with government responsiveness.
In a surprising turn, Haley also made an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” participating in a skit as a “South Carolina voter” at a CNN Trump town hall, questioning why he refused to debate her.
