Durham, N.H. - Republican frontrunner Donald Trump addressed supporters at a campaign rally on Saturday, where he made headlines by quoting autocrats Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Orban of Hungary. The move is seen by many as a deliberate attempt to divert attention from his ongoing criminal prosecutions and to fuel concerns about the state of democracy under President Biden.

During his speech, Trump also sparked controversy with derogatory language concerning immigrants, drawing comparisons to past authoritarian leaders. Additionally, he referred to individuals charged in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack as "hostages."

These remarks have raised alarm among experts, historians, and political opponents who see parallels between Trump and other autocratic leaders throughout history.

Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University specializing in democracy and rhetoric, asserted that Trump aims to undermine the perception of American democracy. "Donald Trump sees American democracy as a sham and he wants to convince his followers to see it that way too," she said. "Putin hates western values like democracy and the rule of law, so does Trump."

Trump quoted Putin, the dictatorial President of Russia who has faced international criticism for invading Ukraine, criticizing the criminal charges against him in four separate cases. These cases involve allegations of falsifying business records, mishandling classified documents, and attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In Putin's quote, he supported Trump's claims that the prosecutions were politically motivated, calling them indicative of a "rotten" American political system. Trump further remarked, "They're all laughing at us."

Trump also aligned himself with Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister known for amassing power and controlling the media. Orban has been criticized for eroding civil liberties and promoting anti-immigrant sentiments. Despite these concerns, Trump praised Orban as "highly respected" and hailed him as "the man who can save the Western world."

In his speech, Trump resurfaced his inflammatory language regarding undocumented immigrants, accusing them of "poisoning the blood of our country." This phrase has drawn condemnation from immigrant groups and civil rights advocates, who draw parallels to Adolf Hitler's views on blood purity expressed in his book, "Mein Kampf."

The rally crowd enthusiastically responded to Trump's recitation of an anti-immigrant poem called "The Snake," a staple of his campaign since 2016.

As the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection approaches, Trump defended individuals detained awaiting trial on charges related to the attack. Referring to them as "hostages," Trump's characterization has drawn criticism, particularly from Democrats.

Responding to Trump's speech, Democratic National Committee press secretary Sarafina Chitika stated, "Donald Trump is campaigning on an extreme MAGA agenda that would rip away hard-won freedoms from Americans - it's as simple as that. If he takes power, Trump will waste no time implementing his dangerous vision for America."

The speech began with an emphasis on the economy, as Trump touted his "Better off with Trump" tagline and presented statistics comparing affordability during his presidency to the present. However, his focus shifted to immigration and the charges against him, resulting in a more animated delivery.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung praised the speech, describing it as a great success that resonated with the large crowd in attendance.

Experts have expressed concern that Trump's attempts to deflect attention from reports of seeking revenge on his critics could confuse voters about the true threats to democracy. By accusing Biden of acting like a dictator due to the ongoing prosecutions against him, Trump aims to rally support. It should be noted that two of the cases were filed by local prosecutors, while the other two are being handled by an independent special counsel, according to Justice Department rules.

The speech concluded with the playing of an instrumental track, despite its association with the QAnon online extremist movement.