Trump's call for a "bloodbath" was literal — let's not waste time pretending it was ambiguous

When Donald Trump declared "If I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath" during his rally speech in Ohio Saturday, two things were immediately and obviously true: That is a threat, and it's a literal one. No honest person could dispute that just hearing the snippet of the quote, in which Trump articulates, "It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country." Presented in the larger context, there can be zero honest doubt that this is a call for real-world violence.

In the same speech, Trump celebrated the January 6 insurrection at length, calling the people who ransacked the Capitol "unbelievable patriots" for attempting to steal the 2020 election for him. He also underscored the fascist ideology he was espousing by declaring that immigrants are "not people," and sneering, "But I’m not allowed to say that because the radical left says that’s a terrible thing to say." One doesn't need a doctorate in history to recognize this blunt dehumanization is typically used to justify genocide and hate crimes. Frankly, most people who stoke racist violence tend to be more subtle than Trump with the dehumanizing rhetoric.