Trump attacks Democrats as ‘godless communists’ in test of midterms message

Donald Trump has previewed a Republican strategy for the midterm elections, seizing on a progressive sweep in New York to portray Democrats as “godless communists” who pose an existential threat to the nation. The US president, who was a child during the “red scare”, seized on wins by democratic socialists backed by the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani , to stoke fears that the Democratic party has embraced extremism that could lead to the violent persecution of Christians. On Friday, Trump was addressing religious conservatives at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s annual Road to Majority conference at the Washington Hilton hotel – his first appearance there since April, when he was rushed off stage after an assassination attempt at the White House correspondents’ dinner. “I remember this place not so long ago,” he quipped. “Hopefully we’re going to have a little more pleasant experience.” Trump hit some familiar themes in his address, defending his war in Iran, making false claims of election rigging and stressing the importance of Republicans retaining control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the November midterms. He focused on Tuesday’s Democratic primary election results in New York , where three leftwing candidates endorsed by Mamdani, a democratic socialist who is the city’s first Muslim mayor, upset incumbent or establishment rivals. …