Trump is literally stammering out nonsense in North Carolina rally. Like terrorism, Trump speaks stochastically.
“You know, in New York, what’s happening with crime is it’s through the roof, and it’s called ‘migrant,’” the former president said at a rally in Michigan earlier this month. “They beat up police officers. You’ve seen that they go in, they stab people, hurt people, shoot people. It’s a whole new form, and they have gangs now that are making our gangs look like small potatoes.”
Trump has undoubtedly tapped into the rising anger over crimes allegedly committed by undocumented migrants that have gained national attention — most recently, the killing of college student Laken Riley in Georgia last week, after which an undocumented migrant from Venezuela was arrested and charged with her murder, and the much-reported fight between New York police officers and a group of migrant teens.
According to a recent Pew poll, 57% of Americans said that a large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime. Republicans (85%) overwhelmingly say the migrant surge leads to increased crime in the U.S. A far smaller share of Democrats (31%) say the same. The poll found that 63% of Democrats say it does not have much of an impact.
But despite the former president’s campaign rhetoric, expert analysis and available data from major-city police departments show that despite several horrifying high-profile incidents, there is no evidence of a migrant-driven crime wave in the United States.
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(2018)
Donald Trump repeatedly raised the possibility of invading Venezuela in talks with his top aides at the White House, according to a new report.
Trump brought up the subject of an invasion in public in August last year, saying: “We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option, if necessary.” But the president’s musings about the possibility of a US invasion were more extensive and persistent than that public declaration, according to the Associated Press.
The previous day Trump reportedly took his top officials by surprise in an Oval Office meeting, asking why the US could not intervene to remove the government of Nicolás Maduro on the grounds that Venezuela’s political and economic unraveling represented a threat to the region.
www.theguardian.com/…
(2020)
Venezuela foiled what it said was a US-backed invasion attempt last weekend.
The US backs opposition leader Juan Guaidó and recognises him as the country's legitimate leader.
What was the incursion plan?
According to Venezuela, a group of "terrorist mercenaries" landed by boat in the town of Macuto on Sunday. Thirteen people, including two Americans, were arrested. Eight armed men were killed.
The Americans seized were Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41. They appeared in videos shown on state TV on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mr Denman, a former special operations forces member, appears to confess to "helping Venezuelans take back control of their country".
www.theguardian.com/...