Donald Trump Likens Illegal Immigrants to Hannibal Lecter

Donald Trump continues his anti-immigrant campaign by likening immigrants to a cannibal and serial killer from the Oscar-winning film ‘The Silence of the Lambs’
Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the November elections and former president of the U.S., has maintained his anti-immigrant rhetoric throughout his campaign.
Amid a discourse in New Jersey, Trump supplemented his anti-immigrant stance by drawing a parallel between unlawful immigrants and the Oscar-winning character Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs,” whom he portrayed alongside Anthony Hopkins.
Trump stated at his rally in New Jersey, “He oftentimes would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? ‘Excuse me, I’m about to have a friend for dinner,’ said the poor doctor as he walked by. ‘I’m about to have a friend for dinner.’”
In closing his tribute, Trump remarked, “But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter.”
It was unclear whether Trump was comparing certain migrants to the irrational serial killer Hannibal Lecter or advocating for the U.S. to adopt his behavior.
In previous years, Trump lauded both Lecter and “The Silence of the Lambs”, designating the latter as one of his preferred films.
The former president has cited Lecter in support of his grossly exaggerated claim that prisoners and mental patients are pouring across the U.S. border. Trump stated, “That’s ‘Silence of the Lambs;’ that’s Hannibal Lecter,” during the New Hampshire primary campaign. Are you acquainted with Hannibal Lecter?” “Hannibal Lecter is approaching.”
Trump conflated the character with Hopkins at an Iowa event in 2023, remarking, “Hannibal Lecter, how great an actor was he?” Additionally, the former president erroneously attributed to the actor a declaration of love for Trump, despite the absence of any transcript substantiating such a statement.