With four republican presidential hopefuls set to take the debate stage Wednesday, Dec. 6, it is former President Donald Trump already stealing the show. After a town hall hosted by Fox News, remarks the former president made when asked if he will become a dictator have sent the media into a frenzy.
Moderator Sean Hannity had Trump answer to headlines that circulated the news cycle in the week leading up to the townhall. Op-eds in The Washington Post and New York Times hinted at an “inevitable Trump dictatorship” and referred to Trump as “an autocrat in waiting.”
The same sentiment was shared by former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, a vocal critic of Trump, on CBS Sunday Morning.
“He’s told us what he will do,” Cheney said. “It’s very easy to see the steps he will take. One of the things we see happening today is sort of a sleepwalking into a dictatorship.”
Hannity asked Trump whether there was any truth to the claims.
“To be clear, do you in any way have plans whatsoever if reelected to abuse power, break the law, or use the government to go after people,” Hannity asked during the town hall.
“You mean like how they’re using right now?” Trump said. “In the history of our country, what’s happened to us has never happened before.”
Hannity asked again if Trump would ever abuse power if elected president again. Trump answered whether he would ever be a dictator.
“No, no, no, other than day one,” Trump said. “We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”
His response triggered a ripple of reaction throughout mainstream media.
On ABC’s “Good Morning America,” ABC’s Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathon Karl said “Donald Trump was asked a simple and direct question and he wouldn’t rule out abusing power if he gets back to the White House. In fact, he used the word ‘dictator’ describing his plans for day one in office.”
On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” host Joe Scarborough said “there is a sickness, a sickness among fellow Americans regarding authoritarianism. They want it. When he promised he’d be a dictator on day one, he got applause.”
On CNN’s NewsNight, anchor Abby Phillip said Trump’s remarks reminded her of Trump’s remarks before leaving the White House after the 2020 election.
“The last time we saw Trump pull something like this was just before the 2020 election when he was repeatedly asked ‘will you accept the results of the 2020 election’ and he refused to say.”
While the media revels in Trump’s latest comments, there is a debate happening tonight. Four republican candidates are trying to escape the shadow and make up for a 50-point deficit in polls behind Trump.
Whether these candidates will have to answer to Trump’s town hall comments is unknown. However, it is a common theme seen in previous debates, candidates having to answer for their party’s direction in 2024 with Trump largely writing the playbook.
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