Donald Trump at the 2024 US presidential debate
(Justin Sullivan / Getty)

‘That’s right, I used the word’: Donald Trump’s graphic rant about big businesses is gross after being found liable for SA himself

Donald Trump has raised eyebrows with the graphic language he chose to describe big businesses, considering he has been found liable for sexual assault.

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Trigger Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and rape.

Recently, Trump gave a speech at the Detroit Economic Club. As a swing state, Michigan is one of the most important states in the upcoming Presidential Election. It is going to be among the hardest states for Trump to win over, given his extreme rhetoric and the fact that Joe Biden won the state in 2020. Hence, Trump came to the Detroit Economic Club in an attempt to paint himself as the city’s hero. He launched into a nearly two-hour, meandering speech in which he switched disorientingly between talking about Harris, Elon Musk, foreign trade, and voter ID. The strangest moment came when he decided to use the word “rape” to describe big businesses outside the United States.

Donald Trump goes on a gross rant about big businesses

During his speech, Trump outlined his plan to combat “powerful companies” outside of America. He claimed that we have allowed these overseas companies to become powerful “because we were stupid” and let them. He then took his claims further, stating, “We allowed them to come in and raid and rape our country. That’s what they did.” His aggressive language drew gasps from the crowd, which only seemed to please Trump as he proceeded to brag about using the word “rape.” Trump proudly stated, “‘Oh, he used the word ‘rape.’ That’s right. I used the word ‘rape.’ They raped our country.”

Many who heard the quote assumed it was more of his disgusting attacks on immigrants. However, the statement was directed at businesses outside the United States, as he continued to highlight his plan to provide “incentives” for companies to open factories in America. Even so, his aggressive language drew scrutiny, especially because it raises the question of why a convicted rapist is accusing anyone or anything of “rape” and acting so bizarrely proud of it.

Last year, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in 1996. Carroll publicly accused him of rape in her memoir in 2019, causing Trump to lead a campaign of defamation against her. Four years later, the jury voted in Carroll’s favor, awarding her $5 million in damages after finding Trump sexually abused and defamed her. Of course, Trump’s team tried to find a loophole, clinging to the fact that the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse but rejected Carroll’s claim that she had been raped. However, a judge later clarified that Trump was found guilty of “rape” according to how the word is most commonly “used and understood” outside of New York penal law.

Not only that but Trump has been accused by many other women of sexual assault, as well. A total of 26 women have come forward with allegations. His ex-wife, Ivana Trump, also accused him of rape in her divorce deposition. Given his history, his smug use of the word “rape” is gross and hypocritical, regardless of the context. It also makes his bizarre pride and gloating about using the word incredibly creepy and unsettling.


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Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski is a Staff Writer for The Mary Sue, who frequently covers DC, Marvel, Star Wars, literature, and celebrity news. She has over three years of experience in the digital media and entertainment industry, and her works can also be found on Screen Rant, JustWatch, and Tell-Tale TV. She enjoys running, reading, snarking on YouTube personalities, and working on her future novel when she's not writing professionally. You can find more of her writing on Twitter at @RachelUlatowski.