'He learned a new phrase': Trump mocked as he likens his legal battles to ‘Stalinist show trials' at CPAC

OXON HILL, MARYLAND: Former President Donald Trump delivered a blistering address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, February 24, igniting a wave of controversy with his characterization of his legal battles as "Stalinist show trials".

The speech, filled with fervor and ominous warnings, positioned Trump as both a martyr and a potential savior of the nation, drawing fervent applause from his supporters while sparking sharp criticism from detractors.

Portraying himself as a 'political dissident'

In a packed ballroom at National Harbor, Maryland, Trump portrayed himself as a "proud political dissident" and issued a stark warning about the state of American democracy, promising "judgment day" for his political opponents.

Accusing President Joe Biden of weaponizing the government against him, Trump pledged to crack down on border security and enact what he termed "the biggest deportation in US history" if elected to office again.

"For hard-working Americans, November 5th will be our new liberation day," declared Trump to a roaring crowd adorned in Make America Great Again regalia.

"But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day!"

“Your victory will be our ultimate vindication, your liberty will be our ultimate reward and the unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge," he added.

The former president's address was laced with dire warnings about the future of the nation under a Biden administration, painting a bleak picture of an America plagued by chaos and violent crime, The Guardian reported.

“If Crooked Joe Biden and his thugs win in 2024, the worst is yet to come,” he said.

“A country that will go and sink to levels that are unimaginable. These are the stakes of this election. Our country is being destroyed, and the only thing standing between you and its obliteration is me.”

Trump's legal troubles

Trump's remarks came amid mounting legal challenges, with the former President facing 91 criminal charges across four cases. Despite his legal troubles, Trump projected confidence, rallying his supporters with promises of freedom and revenge against his perceived adversaries.

“A vote for Trump is your ticket back to freedom, it’s your passport out of tyranny and it’s your only escape from Joe Biden and his gang’s fast track to hell,” he continued. “And in many ways, we’re living in hell right now because the fact is, Joe Biden is a threat to democracy – really is a threat to democracy.”

He likened the legal proceedings against him to "Stalinist show trials," alleging a conspiracy orchestrated by Biden and his allies to undermine democracy.

"The Stalinist show trials being carried out at Joe Biden’s orders set fire not only to our system of government but to hundreds of years of western legal tradition," Trump asserted. "They’ve replaced law, precedent, and due process with a rabid mob of radical left Democrat partisans masquerading as judges and juries and prosecutors."

Trump's speech also focused heavily on immigration, vowing to seal the border and enact stringent deportation measures to combat what he described as the "invasion" of illegal immigrants.

“They’re coming from Asia, they’re coming from the Middle East, coming from all over the world, coming from Africa, and we’re not going to stand for it ... They’re destroying our country," he continued, before vowing to orchestrate the largest deportation operation in US history.

“It’s not a nice thing to say and I hate to say it and those clowns in the media will say: ‘Oh, he’s so mean.’ No, they’re killing our people. They’re killing our country. We have no choice," he insisted. “We have languages coming into our country … they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a horrible thing.”

However, amid his fiery rhetoric, Trump veered into tangential anecdotes and off-the-cuff monologues. One such instance was his hilarious story about flying into Iraq, which segued into a commentary on the appearance of military pilots.

“I sat with the pilots ... the best-looking human beings I’ve ever seen. Not my thing ... But they are handsome. Central casting. Better looking than Tom Cruise. And taller," he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.

“Nobody can ramble like this,” he said, adding, “They’ll say: ‘He rambled, he’s cognitively impaired.’ Well, it’s really the opposite. It’s total genius – you know that.” 

Internet reacts to Trump's unhinged remarks

While Trump's supporters cheered his unscripted delivery, critics on social media were quick to deride his remarks. Many mocked his use of the term "Stalinist show trials," with some drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes of the past.

"He learned a new phrase," one posted on X.

"STALIN? That’s why his people didn’t want him to have a library card," another wrote.

"So why hasn't he been sent to a labor camp yet?" someone else added.

"Feels like I'm reading a 1930s German speech here Does NOBODY see the parallels?" another asked.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.