Ex-president calls Hopkinsā€™ cannibalistic Lecter ā€˜late, greatā€™ while condemning ā€˜people who are being released into our countryā€™

Donald Trump on Saturday praised fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter ā€œas a wonderful manā€ before segueing into comments disparaging people who have immigrated into the US without permission.

The former presidentā€™s remarks to political rally-goers in Wildwood, New Jersey, as he challenges Joe Bidenā€™s re-election in November were a not-so-subtle rhetorical bridge exalting Anthony Hopkinsā€™ cannibalistic Lecter in Silence of the Lambs as ā€œlate [and] greatā€ while simultaneously condemning ā€œpeople who are being released into our country that we donā€™t wantā€.

Trump delivered his address to an estimated crowd of about 80,000 supporters under the shadow of the Great White roller coaster in a 1950s-kitsch seaside resort 90 miles (144.8km) south of Philadelphia.

The occasion served for Trump to renew his stated admiration for Lecter, as heā€™s done before, after the actor Mads Mikkleson ā€“ who previously portrayed Lecter in a television series ā€“ once described Trump as ā€œa fresh wind for some peopleā€.

  • barooboodoo (he/him)@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    Iā€™m honestly flabbergasted that after a decade of insane Trump quotes people still think context will make them any less insane.

    • Kalkaline @leminal.space
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      6 months ago

      Itā€™s important to give the full quotes because it further establishes that Trump and Biden are not equivalent. Biden will stumble over his words from time to time while making a coherent thought while Trump is confusing asylum with Silence of the Lambs.

      • barooboodoo (he/him)@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        I agree completely, Iā€™m more referring to OP saying they might be cherry picking. Journalists always try to generously interpret his ramblings instead of pretending like anyone with half a brain is reading their articles and making up their mind for themselves.