Maddow: Trump Told Americans ‘What Vicious Criminals Immigrants Are,’ Villainous

Maddow: Trump Told Americans "What Vicious Criminals Immigrants Are," Villainous (RealClearPolitics)

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow said President Donald Trump focused on "what vicious murdering criminals immigrants are" in his address to a joint session of Congress. Maddow said the president portrayed immigrants as "villainous and violent."

"This will be a well-received speech for Donald Trump that's in part, I think fair to say a product of expectations that he's not seen as somebody who necessarily gives a good, formal speech," Maddow said. "He is more of a rollicking speech goer instead of a formal speech goer."

"I do think beyond that surface expectation it will be a notable thing that the president spent a big portion of what was in effect the State of the Union trying to, you know, tell the country what vicious murdering criminals immigrants are. That is focusing on crimes committed by immigrants. The groan as you mentioned, Brian, when he mentioned this victims of immigration crime engagement office, highlighting immigrants as particularly villainous and violent, that's important, that's an important part of who he is and what he is selling the country," the MSNBC host said.