White House slams 'sickening' video shared by Trump team referencing 'unified Reich'
"It is abhorrent, sickening, and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated with Germany’s Nazi government under Adolf Hitler," White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement.
(The Hill) – The White House blasted former President Trump on Tuesday after a video was posted to his Truth Social page referencing a "unified Reich" if he won a second term, calling it "dangerous and offensive."
"It is abhorrent, sickening, and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated with Germany’s Nazi government under Adolf Hitler," White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement.
"Any Antisemitic dog whistling is dangerous and offensive — and profoundly un-American," he added.
While Bates's statement did not reference Trump by name — Hatch Act laws prevent White House officials from weighing in on the election — the Biden campaign was more direct.
"Donald Trump is not playing games; he is telling America exactly what he intends to do if he regains power: rule as a dictator over a ‘unified reich,’” Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer said in a statement.
The video was posted to Trump's Truth Social page Monday night. It included hypothetical headlines about his potential victory in November, including one that referenced a "unified Reich."
The video, which was not created by the Trump campaign, was taken down Tuesday morning.
“This was not a campaign video, it was created by a random account online and reposted by a junior staffer who clearly did not see the word, while the President was in court," Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Trump, however, said just last last month at Mar-a-Lago that he and advisor Dan Scavino are the only people with access to his Truth Social account. Trump also claimed Scavino basically taught him how to use the account, according to a video of his remarks that had been posted online.
The Associated press further reported that Monday's "unified Reich" video was posted to Trump's Truth Social page while the former president was on a lunch break from his current criminal trial in New York City.
Trump has previously faced criticism for claiming Biden is running a “Gestapo administration,” referring to the secret Nazi police force. He was also widely rebuked for saying immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and for calling his opponents “vermin,” language that echoed Hitler.