Trump's spokespeople insisted the president was saying Biden's policies will 'create an economic bloodbath for the auto industry'
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., weighed in on former President Trump’s recent statements at a rally in Ohio, suggesting that Trump could be looking to "exact a bloodbath" in America if he doesn’t win re-election.
While speaking to CNN "State of The Union" host Dana Bash on Sunday, Pelosi stressed that Trump cannot win the upcoming election and spun his "bloodbath" remark as possibly being a threat to Americans.
"We have – we just have to win this election because he‘s even predicting a bloodbath. What does that mean? He‘s going to exact a bloodbath?" she asked.
AMERICA 'UNRECOGNIZABLE' AND ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE, EXPERTS WARN: 'TURNING ON OUR OWN LEGACY'
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wondered if former President Trump's recent comments at an Ohio rally meant he was going to "exact a bloodbath" on America if he loses re-election.
During the Trump rally in Vadalia, Ohio, he used the word "bloodbath" following a point he made about putting tariffs on Chinese cars made in Mexico and sold to the U.S.
Addressing Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said, "Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now… you’re going to not hire Americans and you’re going to sell the cars to us, no. We’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you’re not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected."
Immediately after, the former president said, "Now if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole – that’s gonna be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars. They’re building massive factories."
Outlets asked Trump’s team to clarify the comments, with campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stating, "Biden’s policies will create an economic bloodbath for the auto industry and autoworkers."
When several of these outlets – including NBC News, Rolling Stone, CBS News and others – shared headlines about the "bloodbath" remark without the auto industry context, conservatives on social media accused them of promoting a hoax.
Media outlets also seized on former President Donald Trump using the word "bloodbath" during his rally in Vandalia, Ohio on Saturday. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Pelosi also made no effort to add this context during her interview with Bash – nor did the anchor. The lawmaker placed the bloodbath quote among a list of other shocking remarks the media has alleged Trump had made throughout his political career.
She continued, saying, "There‘s something wrong here. How – respectful I am of the American people and their goodness – but how much more do they have to see from him to understand that this isn‘t what our country is about? Praising Hitler, praising the Russians. Honestly. Condemning our soldiers for losing, or dying in war, or being captured in war."
"He said, ‘What’s wrong with Russia? They defeated Hitler.’ What about the millions of Americans who risked or gave their lives? What about him saying that soldiers buried in Europe, he didn‘t want to visit them because they were losers?" she added.
One of the lines Pelosi appeared to be referencing came from a 2020 article in The Atlantic, claiming that then-President Trump called American soldiers who died in Europe during World War One, "losers."
The White House at the time denied these allegations, calling them "false" and a "disgrace."
Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.