Trump tells Kansas rally US will burn like France if Democrats win

PARK CITY, Kansas: US President Donald Trump addressed a rally on Monday in support of Republican Senator Roger Marshall’s election campaign in Kansas. He used the violent unrest in France as an argument against the Democrats. According to The Express Tribune, Republicans have held the Kansas Senate seat for decades, but it is now under threat.

Mr Trump said that if Republicans did not win, similar scenes could emerge in the United States too. He offered no evidence for this. His words were: “When you see churches burning and fires raging in France, remember that this is what radical Democrats want to do to America.” He also made remarks against immigrants and Muslims. Rights activists have criticised him for such language in the past.

Large protests in France against inflation and underfunded public services turned into riots and looting in recent days.

Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in 94 years, and Mr Trump won the state by 16 points in 2024. Mr Marshall, who is completing his first term, faces Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, a Methodist church pastor who opposes Mr Trump’s tariff policy and his “chaotic leadership”. Mr Trump accused Mr Hamilton of wanting people to repent for being born white.

Mr Marshall stressed cultural issues such as stopping “extremist Islam” and called Mr Hamilton “too woke” for Kansas.

Tyson Brody, spokesman for Mr Hamilton’s campaign, called Mr Marshall’s campaign “sinking”. He said the people of Kansas were worried about rising fuel prices and costly healthcare. In a video message, Mr Hamilton welcomed Mr Trump to the state and said he would work with him where appropriate.

For the midterm elections on 3 November, Mr Trump is touring, in a 32-day campaign, mostly areas where he had previously won by large margins.