‘Literally proposing The Purge, lmao’

Donald Trump has sparked a wave of online mockery and concern with his latest crime-fighting proposal, made at a Pennsylvania rally.

The former president suggested that a solution to reduce crime could involve allowing police to have “one rough hour” of less restrained action.

“One rough hour and I mean real rough, the word will get out and it will end immediately,” Trump stated, prompting immediate comparisons to the dystopian horror movie, “The Purge.”

The premise of “The Purge” involves a government-sanctioned 12-hour period where all crimes, including murder, are legal—an idea eerily reminiscent of Trump’s statement.

This connection was not lost on social media, where one user on murder – is legal.”

Responses on platforms like X ranged from amusement to disbelief. “Trump is literally proposing The Purge lmao,” one user quipped, while another added, “The way he watched The Purge and sat there like you know what… we should try this.”

The Lincoln Project, a political action committee, also chimed in, reinforcing the comparison by stating, “He’s just describing the premise of The Purge.”

The irony deepened with recollections that “The Purge: Election Year,” a sequel in the franchise, was released in the same year Trump was first elected—2016.

Furthermore, the sequel’s slogan, “Keep America Great,” was later adopted by Trump for his 2020 re-election campaign, leading to more online commentary.

“The Purge: Election Year came out in 2016. Trump stole his motto in 2020 and his plot in 2024,” observed a social media commentator, intertwining Trump’s political and rhetorical strategies with elements of the film.