'Presidents in the United States have too much power': Historian warns of 'dictatorship' under Trump

27 November 2023

Many legal analysts and experts, from former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele and GOP strategist Tara Setmayer to New York University professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat and staff at the respected British newspaper The Economist — all have warned about the danger ahead if former President Donald Trump wins another four years in the White House.

During Monday's episode of MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber, NBC News historian Michael Beschloss laid out the importance of understanding the possibility of America shifting from democracy to dictatorship under a second Trump presidency.

"You know, Michael, it's my opinion here, of course, that Trump is too stupid to do this on his own," guest host Katie Phang said. "The reason why I say that is trump is too stupid to do this on his own, he requires the loyalists that will enable him to do this. the concern that I have is dictators obviously, still have people helping them be dictators. So how much should we as Americans, be concerned about a Trump second term, especially considering how absolutely public and vocal Trump and his enablers have been about what the plans would be?"

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Beschloss replied, "Sure. He's told us you know, actually, it's probably not in his interest because if he wants to get elected next year, it probably makes more sense to pretend he's moderate. So why he's being so frank, I have no idea, unless it's just anger. Unless he wants to scare his opposition in the meanwhile. As late as January 6th, 14 days before he was supposed to leave the presidency and almost did not in 2021, the evidence that we now have that he was not surrounded by enablers, as bad as some of these people were, [former Attorney General] Bill Barr was gone, but there were others said in the justice department who said we will resign in you invoke the Insurrection Act or abuse the power of the presidency. How many times did we hear [former] President Trump when he was president saying at a rally, I'm president and i have powers that are so big that I don't even talk about them, but one day, I will use them.' That's what a dictator says. If you elect Donald Trump, we are going to incur the serious danger that all of us Americans are going to be living under a presidential dictatorship. That's not what our founders intended."

Phang said, "And so Michael, I guess one of the questions I have for you then is this. How do we convey this message? Because there's a subset of people out there that think that this doesn't affect them. It's happening to the others. It's very much this us against them mentality. 'I'm going side with Donald trump. Nothing bad could ever happen to me because I'm on Trump's side.' Yet they forget or are maybe just ignorant to the reality that Trump is just in it for himself. How does that message get conveyed to those who need to hear it the most?"

Beschloss replied, "I have been writing books and studying presidential power since I was 18 years old. So this is something I've thought a lot about for decades and I just have to tell you, presidents in the United States have too much power. Thus far, we've relied on the fact we've had people like [former Presidents] George H.W. Bush or [Dwight] Eisenhower who know it's the possibility of the president to be restrained in using martial law or the Insurrection Act. In 2016, our luck ran out. It may run out yet again next year. If that happens, just the Insurrection Act alone gives a president who is lawless, or even obeying the law and just wants to use the military and use violence to curb his opposition, enormous power. Perhaps the courts can prove it but as you well know, the Supreme Court of this moment was already one-third appointed by Donald Trump. He appointed a lot of judges. He will yet again if he becomes president again. All I'm saying is: watch out."

Watch the video below or at this link.

'Watch out': Historian breaks down why 'presidents in the United States have too much power'youtu.be

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