We have quite the rollercoaster of a story to dive into today. Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump stirred up a whirlwind of controversy with his impromptu comments about creating a migrant fighting league to rival the UFC.
These remarks, made during a gathering of Christian conservatives in Washington, D.C., and later at a rally in Philadelphia, sparked intense backlash, particularly from CNN’s Jim Acosta.
Now, Trump is no stranger to the world of combat sports. He’s a big fan and apparently floated this wild idea to none other than UFC President Dana White. Trump, while recounting the conversation at his rally, said he had an idea for Dana to make a lot of money: a fighting league exclusively for migrants.
The twist? The champion migrant would fight the UFC champion at the end of the year. Trump quipped that he thought the migrants might win, given their toughness. As you can imagine, this didn’t sit well with everyone.
CNN’s Jim Acosta was quick to respond. He aired the clip on his show and didn’t hide his disgust, calling Trump’s comments “ugly stuff.” He wasn’t alone in his condemnation. Chuck Rocha, another commentator, joined in, expressing his outrage and pointing out the immigrant roots of many Americans, including his own grandparents. Rocha accused Trump of pandering to his base with inflammatory rhetoric, a tactic he felt had gone too far.
The conversation on CNN escalated quickly, highlighting the seriousness of Trump’s rhetoric compared to the actual violence associated with immigration issues. Acosta pointed out the harsh realities faced by immigrants during Trump’s presidency, including family separations and the idea of deportation camps. He questioned at what point Trump’s supporters would say enough is enough.
On the other side of the debate, conservative analyst Scott Jennings argued that Trump was clearly joking but was drawing attention to real issues, namely violence related to immigration. This sentiment was somewhat echoed by Dana White, who confirmed that Trump had indeed suggested the idea but dismissed it as a joke.
Despite the uproar, polling data shows that Trump is making significant gains with Black and Hispanic voters as he gears up for a potential rematch against Joe Biden in 2024. These numbers are notable and could set modern records for a Republican candidate.