Senate Republicans call out Trump’s 'unhelpful' rhetoric

Former President Donald Trump doubled down on his anti-immigrant rhetoric during a Saturday, December 16 campaign rally in New Hampshire, where he accused immigrants of "poisoning the blood of our country" and praised authoritarians like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The New York Times' Trip Gabriel and the Washington Post's Aaron Blake have warned that Trump's "poisoning the blood" comments recall rhetoric that Adolf Hitler used in "Mein Kampf." In that 1925 book, Hitler argued that Jews were "poisoning the blood" of Germany.

According to The Hill's Alexander Bolton, Trump is making some Senate Republicans uncomfortable.

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Asked about Trump's "poisoning the blood" comments by The Hill, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) offered mild criticism.

Tillis told The Hill, "I think it's unhelpful rhetoric." And Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) said, "Obviously, I don't agree with that. We're all children of immigrants. It's just part of his campaign rhetoric, I guess. I don't know, I can't explain it."

When The Hill asked Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) about Trump's praise of Putin, he responded, "Putin's a thug."

Thune accused President Joe Biden of providing inadequate security at the U.S./Mexico border but was also critical of Trump's "poisoning the blood" comments, telling The Hill, "We are a nation of immigrants, we're a welcoming country. But we're also a nation of laws."

READ MORE: Trump's 'poisoning the US blood' rhetoric echoes fascist propaganda of the 1930s: columnist

Read The Hill's full report at this link.