Trump says 'animals' comment refers to criminals, Mexico protests

[webfact]

Trump says 'animals' comment refers to criminals, Mexico protests

By James Oliphant and Anthony Esposito

 

President Trump said he was referring to MS-13 gangs when he used the term "animals" to describe some illegal immigrants.

 

WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was referring to criminal gangs when he called some illegal immigrants "animals," a term the Mexican government labelled as unacceptable and which drew rebukes on social media.

 

Trump made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with California municipal leaders who support his goal of making the U.S. border impervious to illegal immigration.

 

"We have people coming into the country, or trying to come in, and we're stopping a lot of them, but we're taking people out of the country. You wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people. These are animals," Trump said.

 

Mexico's government said it would file a formal complaint with the U.S. State Department over the remarks.

 

"President Trump referred to some immigrants, perhaps he had criminal gangs in mind, I don’t know, as animals, not as persons," Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told local TV station Televisa on Thursday. "In the opinion of the Mexican government, this is absolutely unacceptable and we are going to formally communicate this to the U.S. State Department today."

 

Asked about the remarks, Trump said on Thursday they had been taken out of context.

 

"I'm referring and you know I'm referring to the MS-13 gangs that are coming in. I was talking about the MS-13. And if you look a little bit further on in the tape, you'll see that," Trump told reporters.

 

He also doubled down on his earlier comments.

 

"MS-13 - these are animals. ... We need strong immigration laws. ... We have laws that are laughed at on immigration. So when the MS-13 comes in, when the other gang members come into our country, I refer to them as animals and guess what, I always will," Trump added.

Mexico's Foreign Ministry said later on Thursday that Videgaray's comments still stood.

 

SEEKING TO WIN FAVOUR

MS-13, which started in Los Angeles in the 1980s, has grown into a cross-border criminal organisation with leadership in El Salvador that has 30,000 members worldwide and 10,000 in the United States, the U.S. Justice Department says.

 

At the meeting on Wednesday, Trump also voiced hostility for Mexico, which will be partnering with the United States and Canada in an unprecedented bid to host the soccer World Cup in all three countries in 2026. It is also part of the North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump has threatened to scuttle if it is not improved to his liking.

 

"Mexico does nothing for us," Trump said at the meeting. "Mexico talks but they do nothing for us, especially at the border. They certainly don't help us much on trade."

 

Despite Trump's comments, Mexico has been working hard to win favour with the Trump administration in areas like diplomacy and migration, in the hopes of garnering a beneficial renegotiated NAFTA deal.

 

Since 2014, when Democratic President Barack Obama was in the White House, Mexico has more aggressively enforced its own southern border, detaining and deporting tens of thousands of immigrants, many of whom hail from the poor, violent Central American nations of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

 

(Reporting by James Oliphant and Anthony Esposito; Additional reporting by Miguel Angel Gutierrez in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-05-18

[Odysseus123]

A highly unstable individual.Could someone please take his twitter account away from him and generally ban his access to social media?

 

That way most of us might get some peace and experience the delusion that the world is not being run by maniacs.

[Get Real]

The dumb-kopf has spoken again. How can people chose a man as president, that can´t even follow the simple etics of speaking and formulating himself in a proper manor.

 

@underlordcthulhu. Are oyu putting yourself in that que, or are you seriously talking about cats and dogs running around? 

[underlordcthulhu]

1 minute ago, Get Real said:

The dumb-kopf has spoken again. How can people chose a man as president, that can´t even follow the simple etics of speaking and formulating himself in a proper manor.

 

@underlordcthulhu. Are oyu putting yourself in that que, or are you seriously talking about cats and dogs running around? 

I'm not a criminal.

I'm talking about the filthy gang members that help raise the murder rate in my hometown.

[Odysseus123]

6 minutes ago, underlordcthulhu said:

I'm not a criminal.

I'm talking about the filthy gang members that help raise the murder rate in my hometown.

His media advisers thought that one up after the gaffe was committed.

 

Build the man a vast sandpit in the backyard of the White House,hide the twitter devices and give him a million piece Lego set to divert his tiny mind.

[Scott]

Troll post removed.  

[55Jay]

34 minutes ago, Get Real said:

The dumb-kopf has spoken again. How can people chose a man as president, that can´t even follow the simple etics of speaking and formulating himself in a proper manor.

 

@underlordcthulhu. Are oyu putting yourself in that que, or are you seriously talking about cats and dogs running around? 

You just did. 

[Get Real]

25 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

His media advisers thought that one up after the gaffe was committed.

 

Build the man a vast sandpit in the backyard of the White House,hide the twitter devices and give him a million piece Lego set to divert his tiny mind.

You know, in every word you are almost 200% correct. It´s just one little thing. You do not have to give him a million pieces Lego set. For this man it´s troublesome enough with only two peices. It´will take all his remaining time on earth as a living human beeing to solve that puzzle.

[morrobay]

That's right - rabid animals. And what do you do with rabid animals. Unless you are one of these liberal SAPS. Then you defend them. 

[Odysseus123]

31 minutes ago, morrobay said:

That's right - rabid animals. And what do you do with rabid animals. Unless you are one of these liberal SAPS. Then you defend them. 

Hee..hee..hee..the American right is out early today.

 

I forgot to add..give him an AR-15 and a supersize burger as well..that should go down well in the Land of Lard.

[riclag]

The TV article"We have people coming into the country, or trying to come in, and we're stopping a lot of them, but we're taking people out of the country. You wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people. These are animals," Trump said".

"The controversy blew up when people and news organizations used the quote or clip without the context of Mims’ question. Trump wasn’t calling all illegal immigrants animals". 

"Donald Trump is right. MS-13 members are 'animals".'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/05/17/ms-13-donald-trump-gang-violence-animals-immigrants-media-column/621537002/

It was in reference to MS 13 members that chop off heads and beat people up with baseball bats!

In the USAtoday article it mentions the stupid Pelosi(Dem) and John Harmond (news anchor) response. 

 

.

 

 

 

[daoyai]

wow the idiots are out in force on this one,  listen to what he said in context (if you can)  he specifically spoke of MS 13 ....  I would not have called them animals, I like animals,  they are monstrous thugs.  

[Boon Mee]

His 'animals' comment was in reference to the MS13 gangsters. Of course, it was taken out of context by those in the media with an ax to grind. 

[FreddieRoyle]

21 minutes ago, daoyai said:

wow the idiots are out in force on this one,  listen to what he said in context (if you can)  he specifically spoke of MS 13 ....  I would not have called them animals, I like animals,  they are monstrous thugs.  

Yes, they know that, it's just a very lame excuse to keep venting their bile against the greatest US President perhaps ever. His achievements in the last 17 months put the last few presidents to shame, and this sits very uncomfortably with the far left that forecast doom and gloom when their candidate lost the election. Most immature of them in my humble opinion.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

He’s fromQueens, that’s how they talk.

“Fighting every animal in the streets” . Translation, the traffic was bad.

They also say black, they say Jew, nothing to do with racism, a product of a different time. I won’t tell you what they might call call Chinese food takeout.

[riclag]

4 minutes ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Yes, they know that, it's just a very lame excuse to keep venting their bile against the greatest US President perhaps ever. His achievements in the last 17 months put the last few presidents to shame, and this sits very uncomfortably with the far left that forecast doom and gloom when their candidate lost the election. Most immature of them in my humble opinion.

Surely everyone knows it was taken out of context ! I'm sure Mexico has reviewed his comment.Maybe some of the liberal activist are truly upset?

“Does he not believe in the spark of divinity, the dignity and worth of every person?” Pelosi asked. Likewise, CNBC’s John Harwood said “however repugnant their actions, MS-13 gang members are human beings IMHO.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/05/17/ms-13-donald-trump-gang-violence-animals-immigrants-media-column/621537002/

 

[55Jay]

If the shoe fits.  The new 'breed' of cartel members seem to be adopting animal nick names now.  The Dog.  The Pig.  Apparently Mr. Pig was also known as "The Animal".  They certainly butcher their victims as you would farm animals. 

 

 MS13, reportedly, has smuggled drugs in animal cadavers.

Quote

“The Pig,” Manuel Fernandez Valencia, was allegedly a close associate of cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. His nickname came from his “piggish” style of killing rivals. He was also known as “The Animal.”

https://www.denverpost.com/2012/08/09/mexican-drug-cartel-leaders-take-on-more-violent-nicknames/

 

Former President Vicente Fox sounded off, telling Trump to be more compassionate.   He's then quoted, in that compassionate Fox manner, ranting that Trump should "Get his s**t together".   Fox should be thankful that Trump is a gaff machine, providing endless opportunities to deflect and distract from the fact that Fox' countrymen are, in fact, being butchered and stacked like farm animals at the market.  Compassion seems to be in short supply over yonder.  Perhaps Mexico needs to get its Chit together, eh  Señor Fox?

 

[RandolphGB]

Watch the full video. He's responding to a question specifically about MS 13 gangs. 

 

The media in the U.S. have lost all credibility since Trump became president.  

[stevenl]

7 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

<snip>

 

The media in the U.S. have lost all credibility since Trump became president.  

Only if you believe Trump. And looking at his confirmed lies, why anyone would do that is beyond any reasonable thinking person.

[samran]

Pure dogwhistling by the president. He’s an idiot, but he isn’t stupid and knows the power of language as well as any of predecessors. 

 

Helps empower blokes like this one (and many respondents to this thread):

 

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/customer-goes-on-racist-rant-against-spanish-speaking-server/

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"President Trump referred to some immigrants, perhaps he had criminal gangs in mind, I don’t know, as animals, not as persons," Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told local TV station Televisa on Thursday.

Luis is obviously either ignorant or deliberately distorting the truth.The comment was in response to a question about gangs, and was taken out of context by many media outlets. Some have retracted their accusations that Trump was referring to all immigrants, some haven't.

I don't know why Trump bothers having news conferences. He should just take written questions, so the reply can't be distorted by a media that is clearly biased against him.

 

[Get Real]

3 hours ago, morrobay said:

That's right - rabid animals. And what do you do with rabid animals. Unless you are one of these liberal SAPS. Then you defend them. 

What you do with rabid animals? Ask the dog shelters in Thailand. I would guess the answer would be that you take them in, say you care and leter on starve them to death with the result of creating mass graves.

Regarding humans, that is internationally illegal due to the Genéva Convention.

[Chomper Higgot]

We all need to accept, the illiberals who support Trump continue to do so no matter what he does or says.

 

Referring to people as animals, denigrating women, scapegoating immigrants all of it acceptable to illiberals, all of it out of their own play book.

 

Trump’s message of hate finds support with illiberals precisely because it empowers their own hatred.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, samran said:

Pure dogwhistling by the president. He’s an idiot, but he isn’t stupid and knows the power of language as well as any of predecessors. 

 

Helps empower blokes like this one (and many respondents to this thread):

 

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/customer-goes-on-racist-rant-against-spanish-speaking-server/

 

 

Pure dogwhistling by the president.

Well, if that's true, he sure caught a lot of "anti Trumpers" with it.

The problem is that even though they took him out of context, most will probably never admit they were wrong to do so.

[thaibeachlovers]

32 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

Watch the full video. He's responding to a question specifically about MS 13 gangs. 

 

The media in the U.S. have lost all credibility since Trump became president.  

The media in the U.S. have lost all credibility since Trump became president.  

That should be the "anti Trump" media.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

Surely everyone knows it was taken out of context ! I'm sure Mexico has reviewed his comment.Maybe some of the liberal activist are truly upset?

“Does he not believe in the spark of divinity, the dignity and worth of every person?” Pelosi asked. Likewise, CNBC’s John Harwood said “however repugnant their actions, MS-13 gang members are human beings IMHO.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/05/17/ms-13-donald-trump-gang-violence-animals-immigrants-media-column/621537002/

 

Actually, calling MS 13 "animals" is insulting to animals. Animals don't normally behave as badly as some humans do. Generally, they only kill to survive, but some people bring sadism to their killing.

Anyway, humans are in fact "animals", despite having a more evolved brain. Our body works just the same as any other animal on the planet.

We need a new word to describe people like MS 13 members.

[samran]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Pure dogwhistling by the president.

Well, if that's true, he sure caught a lot of "anti Trumpers" with it.

The problem is that even though they took him out of context, most will probably never admit they were wrong to do so.

I’m pretty sure you are correct. My biggest gripe with the left is that they react too easily to this stuff. His actions are pretty transparent when you think about it. He is all about empowering his supporters and this is classic Donald - all for free as well, paid for by your MSNBCs of the world. 

 

He’s got the left fighting culture wars and they don’t even notice. That turns people normally sympathetic to centre or centre left politics off then and just makes it easier for someone like Donald to get re elected a second time. 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

Surely everyone knows it was taken out of context !

Of course they do, but why pass up an opportunity to vent against the man they love to hate?

The truth is irrelevant when the perception can be used as yet another stick to beat POTUS.

[riclag]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Actually, calling MS 13 "animals" is insulting to animals. Animals don't normally behave as badly as some humans do. Generally, they only kill to survive, but some people bring sadism to their killing.

Anyway, humans are in fact "animals", despite having a more evolved brain. Our body works just the same as any other animal on the planet.

We need a new word to describe people like MS 13 members.

They terrorize the communities they seek to control

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, samran said:

just makes it easier for someone like Donald to get re elected a second time. 

True, very true. The greatest irony is that by their relentless attacks on Trump, they may be helping to re elect him for another 4 years. A bit like Kenneth Star's witch hunt on Clinton probably helping him get more sympathy than he deserved.

It may even stop the Dems taking the house in November as the media hatred might mobilise the people that may not have voted otherwise.