As the November election draws closer, Donald Trump’s ominous warnings of potential violence if he loses have sent shockwaves through the political sphere. Speaking to Time Magazine, the former president brazenly refused to rule out the specter of election-related turmoil, ominously linking it to his perception of fairness in the electoral process.
On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” host Joe Scarborough and guest Donny Deutsch echoed a sense of urgency, decrying Trump’s blatant threats. They emphasized that Trump’s own statements left no room for interpretation – he would stop at nothing to retain power, regardless of democratic norms or the will of the people.
Scarborough said: “His apologists who will write this in an op-ed, laughing, ‘Oh, they’re saying Donald Trump is’ — no, Donald trump’s own words say. They don’t suggest, they say he will subvert democracy if he doesn’t win, and if he does win, it’ll be worse. He will subvert democracy more. He will fire prosecutors who will not arrest his political opponents. He said it.”
He then emphasized the gravity of the situation, highlighting Trump’s intentions to subvert democracy even further if he were to win. From wielding control over regulatory agencies to deploying military force against civilians, Trump’s blueprint for a second term paints a chilling picture of authoritarian rule.
“Somebody out in the Trump sort of stratosphere will put on a website and say, ‘Look at Donny Deutsch freaking out, right?'” Scarborough remarked. “That’s their ploy, that’s the lie. I will say, you know, I love the Wall Street Journal editorial page. I disagree with them a lot, but they will have people, like, writing op-eds, that will take what you just said and lie to their readers. They let them lie to their readers and say, ‘Look at the media.’ I’ve read more of this: ‘The media are being hyperbolic’ – no, we are repeating his words. When we repeat his words, when I repeat his words as a conservative – and you found out this past week, I’m a conservative – like, live by the law. Whether it’s on college campuses, at the border, or whether you’re a president of the United States that lost an election, live by the law, right?”
Deutsch concurred, underscoring the severity of Trump’s intentions. Far from mere conjecture or hyperbole, Trump’s words spell out a stark reality: if he wins, the nation faces a descent into tyranny; if he loses, chaos and violence await.
“I just use his words, I just talked about if he wins. If he loses, he will tell people to take to the streets with violence – he’s telling you, he’s telling us. If he wins, we’re in trouble. If he loses, we’re in trouble,” Deutsch said.
Despite the clarity of Trump’s threats, Scarborough lamented the likelihood of his supporters distorting the truth and attempting to downplay the severity of the situation. He warned against the insidious tactics of misinformation, urging adherence to the rule of law in the face of unprecedented danger.
Watch the segment below: