During a segment on Fox Business, anchor Bret Baier discussed the controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump’s use of the phrase “poisoning the blood” in reference to migrants.
Fox Business host David Asman asked Baier about the use of the phrase and whether anyone in Trump’s campaign was planning to address it. Baier acknowledged that the phrase raised eyebrows and was criticized both by Democrats and some Republicans. He pointed out a potential “disconnect” by noting that Trump is married to an immigrant, referring to former First Lady Melania Trump, who is originally from Slovenia.
Baier mentioned Melania Trump’s recent naturalization ceremony at the National Archives, emphasizing that the former president’s use of such language might be perceived as a “dog whistle.” He acknowledged that while some people view it as a choice of words, others, including Republicans, are uncomfortable with the phrasing.
It’s worth noting that Trump’s first wife, Ivana Trump, was also an immigrant from what is now the Czech Republic. However, as CNN’s Jake Tapper highlighted, when Trump mentioned immigrants “poisoning the blood of our country,” he specifically referred to South America, Africa, and Asia, not Europe.
ASMAN: BRET, NOBODY ARGUES THAT IT’S NOT A DISASTER AT THE BORDER. IT IS, AND IT’S, OF COURSE, BEING REFLECTED IN CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT TO USE THAT PHRASE, “POISONING THE BLOOD,” THAT REALLY GOT UNDER THE SKIN OF A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN HIS SUPPORTERS. IS HE, IS ANY SIGN THAT ANYBODY IN HIS CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO TRY TO ANSWER THAT
BAIER: NOT REALLY. I THINK HE… LISTEN, IT’S THE WORD HE CHOSE. I THINK IT RAISED A LOT OF EYEBROWS, NOT ONLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, BUT IN REPUBLICAN CIRCLES. OBVIOUSLY, IT HARKENS BACK TO SOME WRITINGS AND IT’S BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT IN NUMEROUS ARTICLES.
BUT IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS MARRIED TO AN IMMIGRANT WHO JUST DID A NATURALIZATION CEREMONY AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO WELCOME IMMIGRANTS INTO THE COUNTRY. SO THERE’S A DISCONNECT THERE IF THAT’S THE DOG WHISTLE HE’S SENDING. SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING IT IS, BUT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING IT’S JUST THE WORDS HE CHOSE. REPUBLICANS EVEN, THOUGH ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT PHRASING.
