What happened?

  • At a private Republican National Committee spring finance retreat for donors at Mar-a-Lago, Trump accused the Biden administration of running a “Gestapo administration,” likening it to the brutal Nazi secret police force.

  • Trump criticized prosecutors involved in his criminal and civil cases, calling their actions politically motivated, and defended his claims of election fraud, which have been consistently debunked by state and federal courts.

What conservative media is saying:

  • North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum downplayed the significance of Trump’s “Gestapo” comment, calling it a brief aside, and expressed belief that Trump’s ongoing trial is politically motivated, but does not believe the outcome will sway public opinion significantly. (New York Post)

  • Despite limited campaigning, Trump leads in swing state polls and in the national polling average. (Washington Examiner)

  • Politicians like Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Kristi Noem attended the Mar-a-Lago event, potentially as Trump’s running mate candidates. (Washington Examiner)

  • Trump’s comments were condemned by the Biden campaign and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs as dehumanizing, offensive, and despicable, with some historians seeing them as resembling autocratic behavior. (The Washington Times, Newsmax)

What center media is saying:

  • Trump referred to the felony charges against him as orchestrated by the Biden White House and faces multiple legal challenges, racking up significant legal fees. (The Hill, Newsweek)

  • Social media users, conservative editor, and Biden-Harris 2024 spokesperson condemned Trump’s remarks, while Republican Gov. Doug Burgum confirmed the statement but downplayed its significance. (Newsweek, Associated Press, The Hill)

    The White House criticized Trump for his comments, while Biden’s spokesperson emphasized the president’s efforts to bring Americans together around democratic values and the rule of law. (The Hill)

What liberal media is saying:

  • Trump used profanity while criticizing the special counsel and prosecutors charging him with criminal offenses, and he mocked Special Counsel Jack Smith personally, calling him “unattractive both inside and out”. (CNN, The Independent)

  • Trump praised a national anthem recorded by individuals linked to the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, and he criticized his ongoing trial, accused Democrats of election fraud, and mocked his former attorney general. (The New York Times)

  • Trump commended and spent time praising former Illinois Gov. Blagojevich, whom he commuted the prison sentence for in 2020. (CNN)

  • Blaming abortion as a key issue, Trump suggested that his party would have won more seats without the controversy, and his campaign strategists outlined plans to secure support from different voter demographics and address the abortion issue in the upcoming election. (The New York Times)

Sources: