Trump denies reading ‘Mein Kampf’ amidst criticism for inflammatory remarks on immigrants

Former US president Donald Trump, a leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, faced renewed criticism for his inflammatory remarks on immigrants.

Trump, 77, who has been accused of echoing Nazi philosophy, stated that he has never read Adolf Hitler’s manifesto, “Mein Kampf.” Despite denying any parallels to Hitler’s language, Trump doubled down on his controversial statements, asserting that immigrants are “destroying the blood of our country.”

These comments, similar to ones made over the weekend, triggered a firestorm of criticism, with a White House spokesman accusing Trump of “echoing the grotesque rhetoric of fascists and violent white supremacists.” President Joe Biden, a potential opponent in the 2024 election, previously accused Trump of echoing Hitler when describing political opponents as “vermin.”

Trump, addressing the accusations on Tuesday night, dismissed any similarities and emphasized that he never read ‘Mein Kampf,’ attributing the Nazi leader’s language to a “much different way.” In response, a Biden campaign account on the social media platform X published a graphic contrasting three comments from Trump with statements from Hitler, suggesting a deliberate connection.

The controversy surrounding Trump’s rhetoric has placed Republican Party leaders in an uncomfortable position. Prominent figures, including top Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, publicly denounced Trump’s remarks.

McConnell’s condemnation adds to a history of contentious statements by Trump, dating back to his 2015 campaign, where he characterized some Mexican immigrants as “bringing crime” and “rapists.” Despite Trump’s infamous pledge to build a border wall, designed to deter migrant crossings, the issue remains contentious as crossings continue to surge despite the construction of hundreds of miles of wall along the US-Mexico border.