U.S. President Donald Trump reacts after signing a memorandum to send federal resources to Memphis, Tennessee, for a surge against local crime, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 1
President Donald Trump, his team, and his allies are "saboteurs" who are "wrecking" all the institutions that brought America prosperity and prestige, says a fascism expert who warns that the president may take action to disrupt — or even cancel —a future election.
Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history and a scholar of fascism, is an expert on authoritarianism and strongmen. She spoke with Politicon's James Carville and Al Hunt on Friday.
When asked whether it is "accurate" to call Trump a fascist, Dr. Ben-Ghiat replied, "He's got many fascist qualities, and they're recycling Nazi slogans now," she observed.
Trump, she continued, "made a campaign video that said that he was going to — he was going to create a 'unified Reich.'"
"They're taking from the fascist playbook," she added, noting that they "love" Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and "all autocrats."
"They are trying their best to have an authoritarian state and destroy our democracy,' she warned.
Ben-Ghiat agreed that she is worried that Trump would try to do something to intervene in the elections, perhaps by not holding one.
The "more they feel backed into a corner," she observed, "and these are people, these strong men, who live in fear of being — getting into a position where they can be held accountable."
"It's inconceivable that he would just leave office normally," she noted. "So you can't underestimate what they're going to do."
"It could be the Insurrection Act, it could be trying to have a state — some kind of state emergency to cancel the election," she said. "ICE could be used in violent ways or intimidating ways to get people to stay home."
"All kinds of tricks could be used."
"They're not gonna give up without a fight," she warned.
Ben-Ghiat also said, "I have been saying since February — and people thought I was like a conspiracy theorist — that Trump and company are saboteurs."
"They're trying to sabotage America so thoroughly that it'll be wrecked for generations, and that's why they're wrecking medical research, scientific research, child welfare. All the things that brought America prosperity and prestige in the world have to be wrecked."
"I truly see Trump as in office in part to solve Putin's problems. And to make autocracy flourish."
"He's trying to take down America in every way. So that it has its role in the Western hemisphere, and then Xi can do his thing in Asia, and Putin can prosper, and all the failed, horrible states can have a new life, because the U.S. military or the U.S. — they're not gonna come after them."
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