Trump’s Persistent Threats Raise Concerns: Could the US “Turn into a Dictatorship”

William FurneyOct 14, 2023

Minute Read

Former US president Donald Trump is not shy about making his views known on social media, whether it’s on his own platform, Truth Social, or X, formerly Twitter, where he has been reinstated after a ban. But some wonder if he sometimes, or even always, goes too far with his incendiary rhetoric.

Personal Attacks

It’s not just Trump’s opinions that can offend, but also personal assaults against just about anyone he doesn’t like, including other politicians, reporters, celebrities, military officers and even judges and prosecutors. No one is immune from Trump’s online onslaughts as he posts on social media all through the day and into the early hours.

No Holding Back

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The shocking level of vitriol that Trump directs at his perceived enemies — words like “deranged lunatic,” “monster,” and “moron” — leave many wondering if the 77-year-old is deranged.

Threats and Intimidation

But in criticizing people online, and also in media interviews, Trump may be trying to intimidate people and influence others, such as juries, say analysts.

US Capitol Siege

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Trump failed to be re-elected when Joe Biden instead won the White House in the 2020 election, and he has since been charged in federal court with attempting to overturn the results. Rioting broke out at the US Capitol in January 2021 after Trump urged his supporters to mass there and protest against what he called a “rigged” election. Five people died in the attack and around 1,000 were arrested.

Pardons for Capitol Rioters

Trump’s offer to pardon rioters jailed over the Capitol siege left many people wondering if they lived in a lawful democracy at all, and if the US was potentially sliding into a dictatorship.

“I mean full pardons with an apology to many,” he said in an interview with conservative radio host Wendy Bell as the first of the rioters was jailed. “It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to them. What they’ve done to these people is disgraceful.”

‘House Speaker Desire’

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The historic removal of House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Trump’s apparent desire to assume the role could be another indication of the former president wishing to extend his power to other areas of government, say observers.

‘Horrible Idea’

Trump as House speaker has some people worried.

“Anyone on Trump’s campaign staff that supports this should be fired,” commented a person with the initials KS on the New York Post website. “I’m an anti Trumper but from the perspective of a presidential candidate who already isn’t that popular, putting Trump in the middle of the dumpster fire in the House, which is already the one institution that’s less popular than Trump, is a horrible idea.”

‘Bad Vegas Act’

Another New York Post reader, Ruben Kincaid, said of Trump becoming House speaker:

“It would be like a bad Vegas act. Trump can’t even string together three coherent sentences, let alone the fact that being speaker would require more work than he ever did as president. It ain’t gonna happen.”

Trump Ridicule

Still another, LongIslander, appeared to ridicule the prospect of a Trump speakership.

“Oh God no. Now the Republican majority will continue getting nothing done because The Great Unifier will keep talking about how wonderful he is. The best Speaker ever. He holds the gavel better than anyone ever did before,” they wrote.

Another White House Race

Trump is campaigning for the presidency again, in his third such campaign, and is leading the Republican pack for the party’s nomination for the November 2024 election. But he is facing enormous legal hurdles and has again been using social media to hurl insults at those taking aim at him.

Gag Order

After Trump used social media to attack the main court clerk of a judge overseeing a fraud trial against him in New York, Trump found himself subject to a gag order.

‘No Tolerance’

Justice Arthur Engoron said as Trump sat in front of him in a Manhattan court: “This morning one of the defendants posted to his social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff,” he said. “Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them in any circumstances.”

Federal Charges

Trump is also facing an avalanche of federal charges, including allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and mishandling confidential government documents, found at his Florida home.

More Gag Orders?

Prosecutors in the federal trials may be seeking gag orders in those cases after Trump also lashed out at several people related to the proceedings.

Court Filing

Prosecutors said in a court filing that the former president “has a longstanding and perhaps singular history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, trial jurors, grand jurors, judges, and others involved in legal proceedings against him, putting those individuals and their families at considerable safety risk.”