Democratic arguments that Donald Trump represents a threat to American democracy appears to be the one criticism that the former president considers intolerable. In fact, the Republican has claimed without evidence that this Democratic talking point — which is rooted in fact — might very well have contributed to the recent assassination attempt. But if the GOP candidate doesn’t want to be seen as a threat to American democracy, he probably ought to stop taking public stances that make it seem as he’s a threat to American democracy. This might sound hyperbolic. It’s not. “Christians, get out and vote — just this time,” the Republican said at the Turning Point USA Believers Summit. “You won’t have to do it anymore! Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.” For good measure, he went on say, “In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.” To be sure, the former president has made similar comments in the very recent past. Just last week, for example, Trump told a far-right audience, “In four years you don’t have to vote, ok? In four years don’t vote, I don’t care.” But his remarks from late Friday were even less subtle — and even more unsettling.
Quick Read
- Trump tells Christian supporters they ‘won’t have to vote’ again if he wins
- Former President Donald Trump, during his speech at the Turning Point USA Believers Summit, told Christian supporters that if they vote for him in November, they would never need to vote again.
- Trump claimed that four more years of his presidency would “fix” the system to the extent that voting would no longer be necessary.
- This statement echoes similar comments he made recently, including telling a far-right audience that in four years, “you don’t have to vote.”
- The remarks have been met with concern, with some interpreting them as a suggestion that Trump envisions a future without elections.
- Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman commented that the only way Trump’s statement could be true is if Trump becomes a dictator.
- Trump has previously made statements about creating a “temporary American dictatorship,” rejecting election results, and pursuing mass firings of federal bureaucrats not loyal to his ideology.
- These comments have raised alarms about his intentions and potential threats to American democracy.
- Sununu downplays Trump’s comments about not needing to vote again
- On ABC News’ “This Week,” host Martha Raddatz questioned New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu about former President Donald Trump’s comments that supporters “won’t have to vote anymore” if he wins.
- Sununu, previously a critic of Trump but now a supporter of the party’s ticket, chuckled and described the remarks as a “classic Trumpism.”
- Raddatz’s question highlights the concern that such comments, while potentially dismissed as typical Trump rhetoric, may reflect a deeper issue regarding Trump’s attitude towards democratic processes.
- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said Sunday that President Trump was “obviously making a joke” when he urged Christian voters to vote for him in November and that, if they do, they “won’t have to vote anymore” because “everything” will be “fixed.”
- “I think he’s obviously making a joke about how bad things had been under Joe Biden, and how good they’ll be if we send President Trump back to the White House so we can turn the country around,” Cotton said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
- “And that’s what the American people know,” he continued. “For four years, things were good with President Trump. We had stable prices, a growing economy, peace and stability around the world.”
- Democrats quickly pounced on Trump’s comments, with many raising concerns about what steps Trump might take to affect the electoral process if he wins a second term in office.
- Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer responded to Trump’s comments in a statement, saying, “When Vice President Harris says this election is about freedom, she means it. Our democracy is under assault by criminal Donald Trump.”
- “After the last election Trump lost, he sent a mob to overturn the results,” he continued. “This campaign, he has promised violence if he loses, the end of our elections if he wins, and the termination of the Constitution to empower him to be a dictator to enact his dangerous Project 2025 agenda on America.”
The Associated Press has the story:
Trump tells Christian supporters they ‘won’t have to vote’ again if he wins
Newslooks- (AP)
Democratic arguments that Donald Trump represents a threat to American democracy appears to be the one criticism that the former president considers intolerable. In fact, the Republican has claimed without evidence that this Democratic talking point — which is rooted in fact — might very well have contributed to the recent assassination attempt.
But if the GOP candidate doesn’t want to be seen as a threat to American democracy, he probably ought to stop taking public stances that make it seem as he’s a threat to American democracy. The New York Times reported:
In the closing minutes of his speech to a gathering of religious conservatives on Friday night, former President Donald J. Trump told Christians that if they voted him into office in November, they would never need to vote again.
This might sound hyperbolic. It’s not. “Christians, get out and vote — just this time,” the Republican said at the Turning Point USA Believers Summit. “You won’t have to do it anymore! Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.” For good measure, he went on say, “In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”
To be sure, the former president has made similar comments in the very recent past. Just last week, for example, Trump told a far-right audience, “In four years you don’t have to vote, ok? In four years don’t vote, I don’t care.” But his remarks from late Friday were even less subtle — and even more unsettling.
If we’re being charitable, there is a potentially benign interpretation of the candidate’s comments, though even this is far from reassuring. Perhaps Trump meant that, at the end of his prospective second term, his far-right vision will be so entrenched in the American system that it will be effectively election-proof.
MAGA world will endure for the indefinite future, the argument goes, so whether the Republican’s followers vote or not in 2028 will be irrelevant — because there will be nothing Democrats can do to reverse what’s been done.
The less charitable interpretation is that Trump envisions a future without elections. Or as Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman put it, “The only way ‘you won’t have to vote anymore’ is if Donald Trump becomes a dictator.” The New York congressman’s choice of words was especially notable given that Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of creating what he’s pitched as a temporary American “dictatorship.”
The former president has also talked about “terminating” parts of the Constitution that stand in the way of his ambitions, rejecting election results he doesn’t like, creating militarized camps, issuing pardons for politically aligned criminals, strengthening his friendships with foreign authoritarians he holds in high regard, and pursuing mass firings of federal bureaucrats who are deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump’s ideological ambitions.
On ABC News’ “This Week,” Martha Raddatz asked Gov. Chris Sununu — a former critic of the former president who’s now a cheerleader for his party’s ticket — about the former president’s “won’t have to vote anymore” comments. The New Hampshire Republican chuckled before responding, “I think that was a classic Trumpism.” Perhaps. But isn’t that precisely the problem?
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said Sunday that President Trump was “obviously making a joke” when he urged Christian voters to vote for him in November and that, if they do, they “won’t have to vote anymore” because “everything” will be “fixed.” “I think he’s obviously making a joke about how bad things had been under Joe Biden, and how good they’ll be if we send President Trump back to the White House so we can turn the country around,” Cotton said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And that’s what the American people know,” he continued. “For four years, things were good with President Trump. We had stable prices, a growing economy, peace and stability around the world.”
Democrats quickly pounced on Trump’s comments, with many raising concerns about what steps Trump might take to affect the electoral process if he wins a second term in office. Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer responded to Trump’s comments in a statement, saying, “When Vice President Harris says this election is about freedom, she means it. Our democracy is under assault by criminal Donald Trump.” “After the last election Trump lost, he sent a mob to overturn the results,” he continued. “This campaign, he has promised violence if he loses, the end of our elections if he wins, and the termination of the Constitution to empower him to be a dictator to enact his dangerous Project 2025 agenda on America.”
