Former President Donald J. Trump sparked controversy on Friday when he posted a video on his social media platform, Truth Social, featuring an image of President Biden with his hands and feet tied together. The video, filmed on Long Island during Mr. Trump’s attendance at a police officer’s wake, shows two trucks adorned with flags and decals supporting Trump, with the second vehicle displaying the image of Biden in a compromising position.
This macabre imagery targeting Trump’s perceived enemies is not new, as similar images of Biden tied up have circulated online among right-wing groups. Trump’s promotion of this video reflects his increasingly caustic attacks against Biden, with the former president using violent imagery on his social media accounts.
A representative of the Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the video. However, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, defended the image, stating that it was on a pickup truck traveling down the highway and accusing Democrats of weaponizing the justice system against Trump.
The video remained on Trump’s Truth Social page as of late Friday evening, showcasing the former president’s history of posting doctored photos and videos attacking his political opponents. Trump’s use of authoritarian language and divisive rhetoric has been a hallmark of his campaign trail speeches, with recent comments targeting migrants, political opponents, and even Jewish Democrats.
As the political landscape continues to be polarized, Trump’s latest social media post has once again ignited a debate on the boundaries of political discourse and the use of violent imagery in public discourse.
