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PODCAST

Trump-MAGA Rage at Mexico Suddenly Takes Dark Turn: “Pain Will Ensue”

As Trump’s threat of tariffs on Mexico drives his MAGA allies into a frenzy, a sharp observer of immigration explains how Trump is unleashing all manner of new hatreds that could veer out of our control.

Donald Trump looks to the side
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Now that Donald Trump has threatened huge tariffs on Mexico, some MAGA figures are suddenly consumed with a dark new fantasy about Trump inflicting all manner of punishment on that country. One top MAGA ally claims Mexico should prepare for a U.S. military invasion. Another says that if Mexico doesn’t do Trump’s bidding, “pain and suffering will ensue.” Trump’s propagandists are laying the groundwork to cast Mexico as a major scapegoat for U.S. social problems. We talked to Douglas Rivlin of America’s Voice, one of the best immigration and border observers out there, about how misguided Trump’s threats are, why MAGA thrills to them, and what all this could portend about the horrors that are coming. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.