Former President Donald Trump's repeated references to Hannibal Lecter, the fictional cannibal from the book and adapted film The Silence of the Lambs, continues to raise eyebrows on social media.
In the portion of his Republican National Convention (RNC) speech on Thursday night that focused on immigration, Trump repeated claims that violent crimes have dropped in Latin America because "they're sending their murderers" to the United States, adding that they are coming from "prisons, mental institutions and insane asylums."
The former president then asked the RNC audience in Milwaukee if they had seen The Silence of the Lambs, saying the "late, great Hannibal Lecter" who would "love to have you for dinner...that's insane asylums."
On Saturday, several of the former president's biggest critics claimed to have discovered the "missing link" in Trump's remarks about the character made famous by actor Anthony Hopkins who won an Oscar in 1992 for portraying Lecter in the movie.
"Omg I think this is the missing link. When he hears the word 'asylum' in connection with migrants he thinks it means insane asylums, not refuge from persecution. Hence Hannibal Lecter, etc. Omg," former FBI special agent and attorney Asha Rangappa posted on X, formerly Twitter.
In an X repost, George Conway, once married to Trump's former senior adviser Kellyanne Conway and a longtime vocal Trump critic, wrote on X, "Oh. My. Gosh. Asha. You're right. Donald Trump may actually think that 'political asylum' has something to do with 'insane asylum.' Oh, Good Lord."
"This could be the reason for the Hannibal reference!! I also think he enjoys his joke about 'careful if he invites you to dinner.' A not-so-clever joke, but no doubt thinks he came up with it. 'I just made that up!!' He's not the comedian he fancies himself to be. But, yes," actress Mo Collins wrote on X, reposting a parody account, @TheJan6Plaque, which initiated the theory about Trump's remarks.
Newsweek emailed the Trump campaign Saturday morning for comment.
At a rally in New Jersey in May, Trump also called Lecter a "wonderful man" before segueing into a comment about immigration.
"Has anyone ever seen The Silence of the Lambs? The late, great Hannibal Lecter is a wonderful man. He often times would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? Excuse me. I'm about to have a friend for dinner as this poor doctor walked by. I'm about to have a friend for dinner," the former president said.
He added: "Congratulations, the late, great Hannibal Lecter. We have people that are being released into our country that we don't want in our country."
Last year, during a speech in Iowa, he praised Lecter although quickly clarifying he meant an actor who portrayed him, who he claimed said that he loved the former president. He said: "Hanibal Lecter, how great an actor he was. You know why I like him? Because he said on television, 'I love Donald Trump,' so I love him."
None of the four actors who have played Lecter—Anthony Hopkins, Gaspard Ulliel, Brian Cox, Mads Mikkelsen—have said they "love" Trump.
Recently, Hopkins was asked about Trump's references to Lecter in an interview with Deadline. "Because he's come up a lot during this election campaign here in America with Donald Trump speaking about him at his rallies as if he's a real person, the reporter began. Hopkins interjected, "As if he is real?"
Laughing, Hopkins continued, "I didn't know that. Hannibal, that's a long time ago that movie. God, that was over 30 years ago. I'm shocked and appalled what you've told me about Trump."
Meanwhile, George Conway made headlines this week by launching a new anti-Trump political action committee, called the Anti-Psychopath PAC, on the final day of the RNC.
Serving as a mobile billboard, a truck circled the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee ahead Trump's speech—in which he officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination—with photos of Trump on it and the words "Thanks for nominating a felon."
In an X post, Conway said he had contributed $343,434.34 of his own money to the PAC in reference to the 34 felonies Trump was convicted of in May.
