Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently claimed that Donald Trump emulated “strongmen leaders” and longed to have the same power to imprison and kill his political opponents.
In an interview on the “Defending Democracy” podcast last weekend, Mrs. Clinton told attorney Marc Elias that Donald Trump was “gaga over Putin.” She claimed that Trump envied Putin’s ability to “rule without any check or balance.”
Hillary claimed that like Putin, Trump wanted the power to imprison and kill his political opponents and jail or exile journalists.
She went on to argue that if Trump was elected again, he would model his presidency after “strongmen leaders” like Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un.
Hillary told Marc Elias that the world had been down that road before and didn’t want to do it again.
The 2016 presidential candidate wasn’t the first Democrat to express fear over a possible second Trump term in office.
Former members of the January 6 select committee also expressed fear that the man they targeted just might target them if he returns to the White House next year.
January 6 committee member Adam Schiff (D-CA) said he has had conversations with his wife about what could happen to him if Trump was elected in November. Schiff said the conversations were necessary in light of his “personal safety.”
Fellow Jan 6 committee member Pete Aguilar (D-CA) told reporters in early April that he took seriously Trump’s comments about prosecuting his political opponents.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) revealed that she was the target of harassment by Trump supporters over her role on the January 6 select committee. In expressing concern about what Trump might do in office, Lofgren said that the one thing her time on the committee taught her was that if Trump says he planned to do something, he would follow through on it.
It isn’t just Jan 6 committee members who fear Trump’s retribution.
Jan 6 committee witness, former officer Michael Fanone also said Trump would use the Department of Justice to target people like him.
