Trump Revives Eugenics Theory in Radio Interview, Blames Genetics for 'Bad' People
Former President Donald Trump appeared to endorse the discredited pseudoscience of eugenics during a live call-in to "The Brian Kilmeade Show" on Fox News this Friday. In his remarks, Trump asserted that certain individuals in the country are inherently "bad" because of purported genetic deficiencies.
Controversial Comments on Genetics and Behavior
"A lot of them were let in here; they shouldn't have been let in," Trump stated, referencing perpetrators of recent attacks, including two men who brought explosives to a far-right protest outside New York City's mayoral mansion earlier this month. He elaborated, "Others, they're just bad, they go bad. Something wrong. There's something wrong. Their genetics are not exactly... they're not exactly your genetic. It's one of those problems, Brian. It's a terrible thing. And it happens."
These comments were captured and shared on social media by journalist Aaron Rupar, highlighting Trump's repeated emphasis on genetics as a factor in criminal behavior. The notion that genetic superiority or inferiority determines human worth is a long-debunked theory rooted in pseudoscience, yet Trump has consistently espoused similar views throughout his political career.
Historical Context and Nazi Parallels
Eugenics, the belief in improving the human population through controlled breeding, is most infamously associated with Nazi Germany. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, the Nazi regime euthanized at least 70,000 adults and 5,200 children, forcibly sterilized over 400,000 people, and perpetrated genocide against millions of Jewish individuals and other minorities under eugenics ideologies.
Trump's latest remarks echo his past statements, including complaints during his 2024 campaign that immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country"—a phrase strikingly similar to rhetoric used by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. A PBS documentary from his 2016 presidential campaign noted that Trump's father had instilled in him the idea that their family's success was genetically determined, suggesting a longstanding personal belief in such theories.
Broader Implications and Reactions
This incident has sparked renewed criticism from experts and advocates who warn of the dangers of promoting eugenics, which has been widely rejected by the scientific community for its ethical violations and lack of empirical support. Trump's comments come amid ongoing debates about immigration, public safety, and the role of genetics in human behavior, raising concerns about the normalization of discriminatory ideologies in political discourse.
As this story develops, it underscores the persistent influence of pseudoscientific ideas in public life and the need for vigilant discourse to counter harmful narratives that threaten social cohesion and human rights.
