Trump compares his opponents to enemies who fought the U.S. in World War 2 and wanted to 'extinguish our way of life'

Former President Donald Trump compared his domestic political opponents to foreign enemies who fought the U.S. in the Second World War to 'extinguish our way of life'. 

In a fiery speech to the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention in Nashville he said the greatest threat to America is from the 'sick' people within and not American adversaries abroad.

The 77-year-old Republican frontrunner invoked the D-Day landings and one of the deadliest American battles against Nazi Germany to say 'we still need the hand of our Lord' to achieve victory today. 

He was speaking in one his final events before Saturday's GOP presidential primary in South Carolina, where he has a commanding lead of 30 points over rival Nikki Haley in most polls. 

'1944 was the year of D-Day, the Battle of Bulge and our country was at war with an enemy that wanted to extinguish our way of life forever,' he told the religious broadcasters.

'But here at home, Christians knew that victory depended not only on the force of American arms, but also on the faith in American Hearts. 

'This time, the greatest threat is not from the outside of our country, I really believe this. It’s the people from within our country that are more dangerous. They’re very sick people.'

'To achieve victory in this fight, just like in the battles of the past, we still need the hand of our Lord,' he added. 

Former President Donald Trump compared his domestic political opponents to foreign enemies who fought the U.S. in the Second World War to 'extinguish our way of life' 

'We can handle China, we can handle Russia... but the inside people are very dangerous.'

Around 19,000 American soldiers died in the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardenne Forest in Belgium at the end of and beginning of 1945. Winston Churchill called the deadly offensive 'undoubtedly the greatest American battle' of the war.

Trump also promised to use a second term in the White House to defend Christian values and claimed the left wants to 'tear down crosses'.

'Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them. And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both,' Trump told hundreds of cheering attendees.

'They want to tear down crosses where they can, and cover them up with social justice flags,' Trump added. 

'But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you.'

It comes as leading conservatives have increasingly called on the Trump to openly build his second term around Christian values, should he win.

The former president invoked the Battle of the Bulge (above) - the deadliest battle for American soldiers in the Second World War - in the fiery speech warning about the U.S. threat from within

'Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them. And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both,' Trump told hundreds attendees at the convention in Nashville

The Christian media gathering, where sponsors distributed free red and white baseball caps emblazoned with 'Make America Pray Again,' was exceedingly friendly territory for the former president, whose address often felt more like a rally than a staid convention speech.

'The left is trying to shame Christians,' Trump said. 'They're trying to shame us. I'm a very proud Christian.'

Trump brought the crowd to its feet repeatedly and frequently championed his record on abortion, including appointing three conservative Supreme Court justices who helped overturn the Roe v. Wade decision. 

But it was notable that he did not mention the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that has prompted providers there to pause in vitro fertilization after justices ruled that frozen embryos could be considered children under state law.

President Joe Biden's re-election campaign released a blank statement on the matter late Thursday, ironically calling attention to Trump's lack of reaction on the 'Alabama IVF ruling he is responsible for.'

Instead, Trump used his speech to boast that he had used his first term to do 'more to uphold religious freedom than any administration in history.'

'The enthusiasm for this election coming up in November is far greater than it was in 2016 or 2020,' he said. 'Far greater, it's not even a contest.'

Tennessee holds its primary on Super Tuesday, March 5, when many states around the country vote and could move Trump to the cusp of claiming the Republican nomination.

Some religious leaders were initially hesitant to get behind multi-divorcee Trump when he first ran for president in 2016, but now they are among his mostly solidly loyal 'Make America Great Again' base.

That's despite a personal history that has only gotten more checkered in recent years, including Trump being indicted in New York in connection with hush money payments made to a porn actress in an attempt to suppress an extramarital affair.

'When he came onto the scene, people were skeptical,' said Troy Miller, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters. 

'But I think, as they've learned more and listened to Donald Trump speak, the one thing I hear all the time from people... is that they really feel like Donald Trump understands them and that's the biggest connection that people make is, "This is a guy in politics who gets us, who understands us, who doesn't talk like he's an elitist and talk down to us."'