Calls United States a "hellhole" in interview

In an interview with Megyn Kelly, Trump described the United States as "a hellhole" that is "going down fast," employing the dark, apocalyptic rhetoric that would define his 2016 campaign. When pressed on the description, he cited issues like infrastructure and trade, but the characterization of the nation as a "hellhole" marked a shift toward the extreme "American Carnage" narrative.

"This country is a hellhole, and we're going down fast." — Interview with Megyn Kelly on Fox News, May 21, 2015