Former President Donald Trump refused to rule out abusing power to take action against his critics in a prime-time town hall meeting – saying he wouldn’t do so “except on Day 1” – despite being given multiple opportunities to hint at revenge plots or a power grab to renounce .
Trump made the extraordinary statements after Fox News host Sean Hannity asked him directly about some of his critics’ worst accusations – that he planned to “abuse power” or use the justice system to bring down his political rivals, and pointed out that some want to call him “a dictator”.
“To be clear, do you have any plans, if you are re-elected as president, to abuse power, to break the law, to exploit the government to persecute people?” Hannity asked him.
“You mean like they’re consuming it right now?” Trump repliedwithout answering the question directly.
“Except for day one,” former President Donald Trump said when Fox News host Sean Hannity urged him to rule out abuse of power
“So in the history of our country? What happened to us again has never happened before. “More nonsense than nothing made up charges,” Trump said, returning to a refrain about how he has been indicted more times (four times) than notorious Chicago mobster Al Capone.
After Trump moved on to other topics in the sit-down interview, Hannity returned to the topic after previously playing a famous Trump clip in which he told his supporters, “I am your retaliation.”
“You promise America tonight that you would never abuse power in retaliation?” Hannity asked the former president, who is leading President Joe Biden in a number of polls.
“Except for the first day,” Trump replied.
‘Meaning?’ Hannity asked him.
“I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill.”
“This is not retaliation,” Hannity emphasized.
Then Trump tried to get a laugh out of the line.
“He says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator.’ I said, ‘No, no, no – except for the first day. We’re closing the border. And we drill, drill, drill. After that, I will no longer be a dictator.”
A Biden-Harris account tweeted the clip and added the line: “Trump: I’ll be a dictator on day one.”
Trump didn’t immediately respond when Hannity asked him to promise: “You would never abuse power.”
Trump made the remark to Hannity in a televised town hall meeting that aired in prime time. He’s skipping Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate in Alabama
The Biden campaign exploited Trump’s “Day One” comments
Hannity questioned Trump about his plans after playing a clip in which former House Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) called the threat of a Trump dictatorship “a very real threat.”
Cheney, who served on the House committee on Jan. 6 and is promoting a new book, said Monday that the 2024 election “could be the last election you’re ever allowed to vote in” if Trump wins.
Hannity himself reinforced some of the claims Trump and his Republican allies have made about his prosecution by posting a graphic about a “politicized and weaponized” Justice Department.
Trump faces 91 counts in four criminal cases. The trial in Washington DC over his efforts to overturn the election is scheduled to begin on March 4, the day before Super Tuesday.
The Biden-Harris campaign addressed the comment with a statement from campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.
“Donald Trump has told us exactly what he will do if he is re-elected, and tonight he said he will be a dictator from day one.” “Americans should believe him,” she said.
Hannity also asked him about Biden’s comment on Tuesday: “If Trump didn’t run, I’m not sure I would run.”
“Someone gave him an argument,” Trump said, dismissing the comment.
Both Trump and Hannity accused Biden of cognitive decline.
Trump also appeared to predict a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
He did so after repeating his claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he were still president.
“I spoke to Putin about it. “It was the apple of his eye – Ukraine,” Trump said.
“I said don’t do it,” Trump claimed, implying a threat.
He said Putin “believed me 10 percent,” which was enough to deter him. After Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, but before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Trump met with Putin several times.
He then turned to Chinese President Xi Jinping and said they “had the exact same conversation.”
“He has a very strong view of Taiwan.” It would never have happened. And again it didn’t happen for four years and it would never happen. “It would never have happened… And now it’s very likely to happen, which would be a shame,” he said.
Trump said he would hold a flash rally in the weeks leading up to the caucuses
Trump lashed out at Biden when Hannity asked a question about Biden’s “cognitive issues.” He also played a clip of awkward pauses in Biden’s remarks.
“He was unable to lift the beach chair intended for children,” Trump said. “And mentally I would say he might be just as bad, maybe worse.” I don’t know. I’m saying this: He’s surrounded by evil people all around that beautiful Oval Office.’
Trump sat with Hannity in Davenport, Iowa, and promised, “We’ll be blitzing in the final weeks before the Iowa caucuses.”
“We’re not taking any risks. “We don’t want to take any risks,” Trump said.
It came days after Hannity moderated a debate between Trump’s main rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
“Considering he didn’t have the facts, I thought he did a good job,” Trump said of Hannity.
He took a few shots at DeSantis and called him “deSanctimonious.”
He tried to stir things up by saying that Vice President Kamala Harris would be “the one to outdo” if Biden ends his campaign.
“They say if they didn’t give it to her, the African-American votes, the black votes, wouldn’t go to her,” Trump said.
The interview took place 24 hours before the fourth Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Trump is opting out, even though DeSantis and other rivals have said he should attend.
Trump is holding a fundraiser in Miami instead.
Trump, 77, also said he doesn’t think Biden, 81, will make it to 2024.
“I personally don’t think he can do it, okay?” Trump told Hannity.
Trump brought up Biden’s 2018 comment, “I could take him behind the gym,” commenting on his blasting Trump over his infamous “Access Hollywood” comments about grabbing women by the genitals.
“I think he’s in bad shape physically. Do you remember when he said, “I’d like to put him behind the barn?” Trump said, replacing the barn with the gym.
“He could say that and everyone thought it was so cute.” If I ever said it, they would say, “He’s a dictator!” Trump complained.