Trump’s Controversial Comments on Immigrants and Genetics.
Former President Donald Trump sparked controversy on Monday by suggesting that undocumented immigrants who commit murder possess “bad genes.” This remark reflects his ongoing use of dehumanizing language to evoke fear about illegal immigration.
During a radio interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” Trump distorted immigration crime statistics while attacking Vice President Kamala Harris. He falsely claimed that she was “allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of whom were murderers.”
“You know, now, a murderer, I believe this – it’s in their genes. And we got bad, a lot of bad genes in our country right now,” Trump stated.
CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for a response.
This incident adds to a pattern of Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric targeting undocumented immigrants, particularly as he pledges mass deportations if re-elected. Illegal immigration has become a central theme in his 2024 campaign, and he frequently uses derogatory terms when discussing undocumented individuals.
Last fall, Trump described undocumented immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country.” Such language has drawn criticism from civil rights groups, as it echoes phrases used by white supremacists and nativists. He has also promoted false conspiracy theories, such as Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
Previously, Trump has invoked genetics in his rhetoric. At a campaign event in Minnesota in 2020, he told supporters, “You have good genes. A lot of it is about the genes, isn’t it? Don’t you believe? The racehorse theory. You think we’re so different? You have good genes in Minnesota.”
The “racehorse theory” refers to the idea that selective breeding can produce superior bloodlines, a concept often applied in horse breeding.
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