Dictator for a day? Scholars say Trump can do damage without being one.
The former president’s comments underscore just how vulnerable U.S. democracy is to a leader bent on consolidating power, according to experts in autocracy
Fox News host Sean Hannity didn’t mention the word “dictator” last week when he asked former president Donald Trump during a Fox News Town Hall if he would “abuse power as retribution against anybody” in a potential second term. In his response, Trump attempted to paraphrase Hannity’s question and answer it himself.
“This guy, he says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?’” Trump said, referring to Hannity. “I said, ‘No, no, no — other than Day 1.’ We’re closing the border. And we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”
Some fellow Republicans insisted that Trump was joking about his plans to be dictator for a day, with Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) describing the remarks as “part of his appeal … that authenticity.”
Trump’s Sizable Lead in Iowa Grows Weeks Ahead of Key Caucus
(Bloomberg) — Former President Donald Trump has support from more than half of voters likely to attend the Iowa caucuses next month, far more than any rival for the Republican presidential nomination, a new poll from the key state showed.
Trump’s lead, at 51%, was fueled by his support with most evangelical voters and those who said the Jan. 15 contest would be their first time attending a caucus, according to the survey from NBC News, the Des Moines Register and Mediacom.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had 19% and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, whose national profile has spiked recently, was at 16%. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy had support from only 5% of voters and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had 4%.