Donald Trump calls to MAGA base and sparks concerns of new violence: "Guard the vote!"

Ankeny, Iowa - During a recent rally, Donald Trump called on his MAGA base to "guard the vote" during the upcoming 2024 presidential elections, which is sparking concerns of political violence.

Former President Donald Trump called on his supporters to "guard the vote" as he runs for re-election in 2024, sparking fears of political violence.
Former President Donald Trump called on his supporters to "guard the vote" as he runs for re-election in 2024, sparking fears of political violence.  © Julie Bennett / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

On Saturday, the former president gave a speech in Iowa further pushing his long debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, and argued that he wants his base to help him make sure it doesn't happen again.

"I was in Florida yesterday - we're driving about 10 miles to a location for a meeting - and every house had Trump 2024 on it," he began.

"We have all the votes we need. What we have to do is guard the vote."

Donald Trump's mental state in question as "word salad buffet" raises red flags among experts
Donald Trump Donald Trump's mental state in question as "word salad buffet" raises red flags among experts

He went on to claim that during the 2020 election, he was leading in the state of Pennsylvania by a significant amount, when "out of nowhere," he and Joe Biden were tied, and Trump went on to lose the race.

"What we want to do is we want to win this one that's coming up," he said, adding that he has "the evidence" to prove that "they're guilty as hell".

"So the most important part of what's coming up is to guard the vote. You should go into Detroit and you should go into Philadelphia and you should go into some of these places, Atlanta."

Donald Trump's rhetoric sparks concerns of political violence

Trump has become well known for using charged language, conspiracy theories, and disinformation to excite his base. His recent comments are reminiscent of his rhetoric after his loss of the 2020 election, which led to hundreds of his MAGA supporters storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

He is currently facing federal charges facing federal charges for seeking to upend the 2020 election results, and is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise American voters with false claims he won.

On Sunday, Philadelphia City Commissioner Lisa Deeley released a statement in response to Trump's comments, noting that the 2016 and 2020 elections were "completely fair and accurate." She accused Trump of trying to "sow doubt about the validity of the election results."

Deeley told The Philadelphia Inquirer that she felt her statement was necessary because "when a former president is spreading disinformation, it's up to us to be truth tellers."

Cover photo: Julie Bennett / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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