Donald Trump is increasingly using authoritarian rhetoric in his campaign, labeling his political rivals and critics as criminals and suggesting that speech he disagrees with is illegal. He has escalated this rhetoric in his 2024 presidential bid, claiming that speech protected by the First Amendment is illegal. Trump has vowed revenge against prosecutors and has suggested investigations into his conduct are illegitimate. Some experts have warned that Trump’s rhetoric mirrors tactics used by autocrats to consolidate power. Despite these themes in his campaign, some of Trump’s own supporters have expressed disapproval of his revenge-based rhetoric. They are still planning to vote for him based on other issues like the economy and immigration. Trump has also faced criticism for his claims that Democrats are the real fascists and for accusing them of weaponizing the government against him. Experts suggest that if Trump is elected, he could potentially succeed in centralizing power for himself, depending on various factors such as his ability to impose party loyalty and intimidate critics. Overall, Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric and tactics have raised concerns among both his supporters and opponents about the implications for American democracy if he were to be reelected.
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Trump ramps up language in advocating for banning political disagreement and criticism
