The possibility of Donald Trump being elected president again in 2024 has ignited the debate over the fear of Trump becoming a dictator.
While the term "dictator" might seem extreme, it’s a term that Trump himself has actually embraced, admitting during an interview on Fox News in Iowa last month he would be a dictator.
Trump said "He says you're not going to be dictator, are you? No, no, no − other than Day One... after that, I'm not a dictator."
And Trump said he would use his dictatorial authority to “close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill."
It’s beyond the scope of sanity to fathom how one could be a dictator on just one day. But even accepting this canard, how does a voting population hand over power to anyone who is promising to abuse that power?
This “day one” promise is Trump again breaking down democratic norms. Critics point to Trump's repeated attacks on democratic institutions, from questioning the legitimacy of elections to pressuring law enforcement to target his opponents. His undermining of the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 election culminated in the January 6th Capitol riot, a stark symbol of the potential consequences of eroding democratic norms. Additionally, concerns about Trump's disregard for judicial rulings and his attempts to politicize the Justice Department fuel further fears of an administration that operates above the law.
Guest:
Ryan Wiggins is the Lincoln Project Chief of staff.
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255 or email thesource@tpr.org.
This interview will be recorded Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
