https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/10/trump-fbi-rivals-2024-election
Donald Trump has suggested he would use the FBI and justice department to go after political rivals should he return to the White House next year in a move which will further stoke fears of what a second period of office for Trump could mean.
Trump made the comments during an interview with the Spanish-language television network Univision. The host Enrique Acevedo asked him about his flood of legal problems saying: You say theyve weaponized the justice department, they weaponized the FBI. Would you do the same if youre re-elected?
Theyve already done it, but if they want to follow through on this, yeah, it could certainly happen in reverse, Trump replied. Theyve released the genie out of the box.
When youre president and youve done a good job and youre popular, you dont go after them so you can win an election. Theyve done indictments in order to win an election. They call it weaponization, Trump added. But yeah they have done something that allows the next party, I mean if somebody, if I happen to be president and I see somebody whos doing well and beating me very badly, I say go down and indict them, mostly they would be out of business. Theyd be out. Theyd be out of the election.
Prosecuting political rivals is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes and Trumps remarks are the most candid public revelations so far of the anti-democratic power he would bring to a second term as president.
Honest Donald.