In an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, former President Donald Trump did not categorically rule out the possibility of abusing power if he were to return to the White House. This response came as Hannity asked him about mounting Democratic criticism of his rhetoric.
In the televised town hall event in Iowa, former President Donald Trump, who is the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, had to be asked twice to explicitly deny that he would abuse power to seek revenge on political opponents if he were to be re-elected to the White House. This comes as Trump has previously spoken about targeting rivals and expressed a willingness to retaliate against perceived politically motivated prosecutions. President Joe Biden has also intensified his warnings, accusing Trump of being determined to undermine American democracy.
In response to Fox News host Sean Hannity’s question about whether he would ever abuse power for retribution, former President Donald Trump stated, “Except for day one.” Trump clarified that on “day one,” he would use his presidential powers to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling. This response did not explicitly address the broader concern about potential abuses of power against political opponents.
Former President Donald Trump reiterated his statement to Fox News host Sean Hannity, expressing appreciation for the question. He repeated his earlier assertion, saying, “No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.” This response maintains a focus on specific policy actions rather than directly addressing concerns about potential abuse of power.
Sean Hannity questioned Donald Trump directly, asking if he had any intentions, if reelected president, to abuse power, break the law, or use the government to target individuals. Trump’s response did not categorically rule out such actions but instead focused on specific policy measures he planned to implement on the first day of his hypothetical second term.
“You mean like they’re using it right now?” Trump replied.
Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric and proposed actions for a second term, including plans to dismiss parts of the federal bureaucracy and target political opponents, have raised concerns among Democrats. Trump’s statements during an interview with Sean Hannity, where he did not outright deny the possibility of abusing power, have fueled Democratic criticism and become a central argument for President Joe Biden’s potential reelection campaign against Trump. Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, emphasized the need for Americans to take Trump’s statements seriously. In response, Trump accused Biden of being the true “destroyer of American democracy” and alleged misuse of the federal justice system.
Trump has promised to prosecute Biden if he wins.
The event featuring Hannity, a devoted supporter of Trump, was promoted as a town hall on the day preceding the fourth Republican debate, where Trump’s primary contenders were convening at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Unlike typical town halls that involve inquiries from the audience, this particular session on Tuesday had Hannity exclusively posing questions to Trump. Notably, a comparable interview between the two had been recorded in July.
In a repeated pattern, Trump is once again opting to bypass the Republican debate, choosing instead to dedicate the evening to a fundraising event in Florida.
Trump’s consistent dominance over his rivals is evident both at the national level and in Iowa, where the electoral process commences with caucuses scheduled for January 15th.
