Trump Tells the Navy to View Half the Country as the Enemy

President Donald Trump turned what was supposed to be a celebration of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary into a fiery, partisan spectacle that centered almost entirely on himself.

Addressing a large crowd at the Norfolk Naval Base on Sunday, Trump slipped easily into campaign mode, unleashing a barrage of attacks against Democrats as if he were still on the trail.

“We have to take care of this little gnat on our shoulder called the Democrats,” Trump said, before accusing them of wanting to hand taxpayer money to “illegal aliens pouring into the country.” He added, “I’ve got a bigger heart than they do, but when you do that, they come in by the millions. Everyone wants that deal, so you can’t do it.” From there, he pivoted to boasting about the billions he’s funneled into the military.

Trump’s remarks were a jarring break from the military’s long-standing tradition of political neutrality. And for the second time in a week, he used an address to the armed forces to pit them against his political opponents.

Just days earlier, during a meeting with senior military leaders, Trump launched into a tirade against Democrats, accusing them of leading an “invasion from within”—a claim that was met with awkward silence from the room.

Calling Democrats a “gnat” is only the latest in Trump’s pattern of using dehumanizing language toward his rivals. He’s previously labeled them “vermin,” “the enemy within,” and “The Party Of Hate, Evil, And Satan.” All the while, he continues to blame Democrats for fueling the nation’s growing wave of political violence.