THIS IS WHAT FASCISM SOUNDS LIKE
‘This Is Fascism’: Concern Grows Over Trump’s Threat He Has ‘Support of Police, Military, Bikers for Trump’
“The President of the United States is encouraging the military, police, and bikers to violently attack his critics on the left.”
President Donald Trump delivered a thinly-veiled threat in an interview this week with the far right wing website Breitbart.
“I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad,” Trump told Breitbart (Google cache version.)
The remark was framed as remarks on the “general tensions between conservatives and leftists.”
Trump’s remarks were not widely publicized, as Breitbart, which for years was run by Trump’s former campaign CEO Steve Bannon, is not a mainstream publication. Bannon infamously described the site as the platform for the alt-right.
But Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale, who focuses on tracking and fact-checking all of Trump’s remarks, posted the quote to Twitter. It quickly drew concern, outrage, and condemnation – and repeated charges of fascism.
Here’s what some experts are saying about the threat from the President:
Founder of ThinkProgress and Popular.info:
We can’t sugarcoat this.
The President of the United States is encouraging the military, police, and bikers to violently attack his critics on the left. https://t.co/UdP9EcxjPy
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 14, 2019
Authoritarianism expert:
Trump is propped up by a transnational crime syndicate dominated by billionaires. Folks will emphasize the threat here — but it’s also an attempt to make himself seem rooted in all-American, blue-collar protection. In reality Trump’s big backers are corrupt elites just like him. https://t.co/I0lRghCrXd
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) March 14, 2019
Emmy award-winning MSNBC anchor:
This is…a threat of fascist violence by the President ?https://t.co/JQ1Yq3L9Nt
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 14, 2019
Public policy professor, pundit, and political scientist:
This is how an authoritarian talks. Happening right in front of us. https://t.co/7VK8ZUS6fF
— Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan) March 14, 2019
Washington Post journalist:
Imagine a 2011 Obama interview in which he mused about the New Black Panthers supporting him in case things “got to a certain point.” https://t.co/9B0tcSdZpv
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) March 14, 2019
Senior Writer at RollingStone:
This is fascistic language. https://t.co/hjRLk6oHTK
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) March 14, 2019
MSNBC host:
You mean like when your ceaseless attacks on democratically elected officials and the free press inspired a pipe bomber and a Coast Guard lieutenant to plot the assassination of your “enemies list”? Is that what you’re trying to inspire here yet again? https://t.co/yKCjnyo22r
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 14, 2019
Former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama:
Are we supposed to take this seriously or literally? https://t.co/G2Ofdm13Xk
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 14, 2019
Editor-in-Chief of Shakesville.com:
This, too, must be read as part of Trump’s campaign of stochastic terrorism. He is inviting average people to commit violence on his behalf, but distancing himself from it with the pretense that he’s just stating a “truth” about “the way it is.” https://t.co/0vyV9gIg90
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) March 14, 2019
National correspondent for the Los Angeles Times:
The South made the same argument about sissified Northerners, roughly some time shortly before starting and then losing the Civil War. https://t.co/AhZQUP8jcO
— Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) March 14, 2019
Journalist, think tank fellow:
Well that’s fascist https://t.co/OAOi6WzmH1
— Jonathan M. Katz✍🏻 (@KatzOnEarth) March 14, 2019
Activist and writer:
Sounds like Trump has escalated his theatrics from civil war to an all-out coup? https://t.co/DWcgLWbKlD
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) March 14, 2019
Columnist at The Intercept:
There he goes threatening violence and civil conflict once again – not to mention sounding like a bully in the playground. https://t.co/Y1eBxCxNoU
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 14, 2019
Journalist:
If Trump loses in 2020, he may encourage street riots. https://t.co/s1KAVGI1J6
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) March 14, 2019
Contributing writer for the Washington Monthly:
This is fascism defined, folks. Wow. https://t.co/6bZCI9Rd1A
— John Stoehr’s Editorial Board (@johnastoehr) March 14, 2019
Image by The White House via Flickr
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