CNN’s Jake Tapper Says Trump Nazi-Like Speech ‘Isn’t Just Rhetoric’ — Has Introduced ‘Element Of Violence’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper said former President Donald Trump’s Nazi-echoing “vermin” speech “isn’t just rhetoric” and noted the added risk of the “element of violence” Trump has introduced.

A passage from Trump’s Veterans Day speech in New Hampshire  is being widely pilloried as echoing the likes of Hitler and Benito Mussolini. That observation has been made by President Joe Biden, his senior advisers, The Washington Post, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman, and many more — including Tapper himself.

On Wednesday’s edition of The Lead, Tapper interviewed former Governor Chris Christie (D-NJ), and asked if he agrees with Biden that Trump should not be president.

Along the way, both men agreed Trump’s language carried the additional risk of violence — which, Christie noted, Trump would certainly disown once it happened:

TAPPER: President Biden slamming Donald Trump, accusing the former president of using language similar to Nazis after Trump in a speech in New Hampshire on Saturday called his political rivals vermin. Biden warned donors at a campaign event that Trump would use his second term for revenge and retribution, saying, quote: “There’s a lot of reasons to be against Donald Trump, but damn, he shouldn’t be president.”

With me now, Republican candidate for president, Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey.

Governor, do you agree with President Biden’s warning?

CHRIS CHRISTIE: You bet, I absolutely do.

And, look, not only is it awful, but it is reminiscent of the worst language used in Nazi Germany during the ’30s. And look, I am used to this guy doing this kind of stuff, for the Republican Party, ten days ago or so, he got on the stage because I had been earlier in the day and called me a fat pig.

I mean, you know, this is the guy who, there is nothing he won’t say or do if you don’t kiss his rear end.

TAPPER: I think one of the alarming things about it, though, is the dehumanizing rhetoric isn’t just rhetoric. There is this element of violence that he’s really introduced an acceptability to in the Republican Party, that we’ve seen play out and continues to play out.

CHRISTIE: Look, I think what he has done with his use of language is give permission to a lot of people who then believe they can take it even further. And they can actionize the things that he’s saying, weaponize the things that he’s saying.

And most of all people won’t use that type of language because they know there is a risk of that. He doesn’t care.

TAPPER: Yeah.

CHRISTIE: He just doesn’t care, Jake. I mean, his view that if it is good for him at that point, he’ll do it, and if something bad happens, he’ll disown any responsibility for it.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.