President Donald Trump unleashed a furious attack on progressive candidates, labeling their recent primary victories as “the greatest threat to our country since its founding,” and accusing them of being communists who “will kill your people.”
During his speech at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s 2026 Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., Trump expressed outrage over the primary wins of Democratic socialists Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, along with progressive liberal Brad Lander.
“I’m sorry to say, but assassinations of those who oppose [communists] is a very important element of their ideology,” Trump declared. “Assassination is a big deal for them. They are animals ... In many cases, they are not smart, but in some cases, they are.”
He warned that if this progressive wave continues, people will “start living in squalor,” pointing to the current situation in New York as evidence.
“These are not social democrats,” Trump asserted. “These are hardcore godless communists. They’re godless communists. All communists are godless. They don’t believe in God. This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence, in my opinion.”
Trump further claimed that “these ruthless communists” aim to destroy “all religions,” boasting about U.S. airstrikes that eliminated high-ranking ISIS leaders in Nigeria, drawing parallels to his confrontations with Iran.
“We know where they are. We hunt them down or we take them down. Think of it, they go into a village and they just kill everybody. It’s crazy,” he continued. “They will close your churches in this country if they go communist, and they’re trying to. They will kill your people.”
His speech exemplified his self-described “weave,” a rambling style that conflated the threats posed by ISIS leaders, communists, and the newly elected progressives.
“It’s the greatest threat,” Trump insisted. “People don’t look at that. ‘Oh, three people were elected.’ No, no, it’s many more than three people, and the other people are being swayed because they don’t have the sense to see what’s happening. They don’t have the sense.”
Lander, Valdez, and Chevalier have faced backlash for their criticisms of Israel and its actions in Palestine, leading to accusations of antisemitism. Lander identifies as Jewish, Chevalier is Muslim, while Valdez has kept her religious beliefs largely private.
Their primary victories have not only riled Republicans but also drawn skepticism from within the Democratic Party. Even Bill Maher expressed doubts about voting Democrat during a recent episode of “Real Time.”
