Former President Donald Trump told supporters at an Ohio campaign event on Saturday that it would be a “bloodbath” if he lost the election to President Joe Biden in November.

Understandably, his word choice was a cause for concern.

The Biden-Harris campaign launched a digital advertisement on Monday using the Trump soundbite alongside a montage of threatening behavior he had previously displayed, such as standing to salute Jan. 6 insurrectionists — sorry, he saluted “hostages” — and refusing to ensure “no violence” regardless of the election outcome.

Given the gravity of these actions and the way they insinuate a complete and utter disregard for our civility and democratic institutions, it’s clear why the Biden-Harris campaign would warn that his “bloodbath” comment is another Trump threat of political violence.

However, to be fair, the Biden campaign and many frazzled Americans ignored the rest of Trump’s statement, and the media didn’t help with how sensational that word can make a headline sound. 

Trump was discussing the United States economy and its auto industry, and he promised to place tariffs on cars manufactured abroad if elected. He added after the “bloodbath” remark that China would not be able to sell any vehicles to the U.S. if he gets back in office.

Trump was suggesting an economic bloodbath, not a political one — though saying that out loud doesn’t sound like the sigh of relief I intended it to be.

Naturally, Trump jumped online to clown on the media, and he just happened to clarify the context of his statement while he was at it.

“The Fake News made a big deal out of the word ‘Bloodbath,’ knowing that it was about our shrinking auto manufacturing business, and the fact that they use the same name all the time. They are sooo bad!” Trump posted to Truth Social after the Biden-Harris ad launched.

It physically pains me to agree even a little with Trump, but those raving over his use of the word “bloodbath” really do need to learn about something called context. 

I also fear the Biden-Harris campaign could lose some credibility with more critical voters for using a soundbite despite the very real danger posed by the other statements made by Trump in their ad.

In light of all of this discourse, I raise a question: Isn’t it telling that Biden, the media and a great deal of non-Trump supporters immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion when the word “bloodbath” came out of Trump’s mouth?

I mean, come on — there’s a reason Trump can only post on Truth Social now, a platform he created after being suspended from all major social media platforms.

Even if a political bloodbath is not what Trump suggested, it is what will occur if he wins the election. 

Trump is gradually normalizing a political culture of violence, and his statements and actions included in the Biden-Harris ad are prime examples. If refusing to promise “no violence” if he loses isn’t proof enough, calling Jan. 6 insurrectionists “hostages” is rhetoric that simply erases the blatant disrespect and danger to democracy their attack on the U.S. Capitol caused. 

While it did primarily discuss the auto industry, Trump’s Ohio speech was still incredibly disturbing. For example, he called some migrants “animals” and “not people, in my opinion,” which opens a whole other can of dehumanizing, racist and downright evil worms.

Trump also implied an end to American democracy if he lost, predicting, “I don’t think you’re going to have another election, or certainly not an election that’s meaningful.”

There’s no taking that one out of context.

It’s unfortunate that Trump’s “bloodbath” comment being used by the Biden campaign could expose them to criticism for disregarding the economic context in which it was made. But there is a slew of Trump behaviors that legitimize their message to a polarizing degree.

Honestly, there is a “bloodbath” in our future regardless of the election outcome. If Trump loses, our country may witness a more extreme version of Jan. 6.

But if he is once more endowed with the power of the presidency, our country will bleed out from Trump-induced wounds that I fear could never heal.