Opinion | The author's opinion does not necessarily reflect Sarah Palin's view.
Prominent Democrats and media figures express concerns about potential consequences if former President Trump wins in November, fearing jail, camps, and retaliation against political enemies.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and others worry about Trump’s alleged plans for camps and targeting individuals like journalists.
“For that matter, what convinces you that these massive camps he’s planning are only for migrants? So, yes, I’m worried about me — but only as much as I’m worried about all of us,” MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow said.
Trump “is openly avowing that he plans to build camps to hold millions of people and to ‘root out’ what he’s described in subhuman terms as his ‘enemy from within.'”
Trump has also noted that he would “root out” the “communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.”
Critics of the former President have raised concerns regarding potential retribution, jail threats, and Trump’s impact on press freedom, with fears of government interference and personal of utmost concern.
“But think about IRS audits, think about government pressure on media companies, think about other forms of government interference. There are a lot of pressure points. And frankly, Rachel Maddow is not the only member of the media thinking about this,” Brian Stelter said previously on CNN.
“I think that he is so vindictive that he will go after, however he has to, through the IRS maybe, or even through sponsors to get us off the air maybe, or you,” Joy Behar of “The View” said.
“I think it’s bad to have somebody saying ‘give me as much power as you can in this country so I can use it to go after other Americans, so I can use it to go after these subhuman internal enemies and I will destroy them.’ That’s just not a good system for anybody, and I don’t think anybody is safe if that’s the sort of basis on which he wants to get more power,” Maddow said.
“I mean, it sounds nuts, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy threw me in jail,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said. “He’s out of his mind. I mean, he did his whole first campaign around ‘lock her up.’ This is his motto.”
“I take him at his word when he says that he’s going to round up people. I take him at his word when he threatens journalists. I take him at his word,” Ocasio-Cortez added. “I feel like what we saw in his first presidency was an amuse-bouche to what his intentions are. He has learned from his mistakes of appointing professionals, and he will not make that mistake next time.”
“My wife and I have had conversations about what life would look like if the worst happened,” Rep. Adam Schiff said. “You can’t avoid the conversations about ‘What if?’ And I have to think about my own personal safety.”
“My family has told me that they’re going to come to D.C. either way — and they’ll visit me, no matter where I am,” Rep. Pete Aguilar said.
“Number one, they’re wrong,” Trump said. “It has to stop, because otherwise, we’re not going to have a country. Look, when this election is over, based on what they’ve done, I would have every right to go after them, and it’s easy, because it’s Joe Biden and you see all the criminality, all of the money that’s going into the family and him, all of this money from China, from Russia, from Ukraine.”
“Depending on what happens in November, seven months from now, we can’t say for certain that there would even be a White House Correspondents’ Dinner or even a free press or even a White House press corps. Right? You don’t have to have one. Could be another norm Trump blows up,” MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace said.
“While our democracy won’t exactly fall apart immediately without it, the real threat looms larger. A candidate with outward disdain not just for a free press, but for all of our freedoms and for the rule of law itself,” she added.
“I don’t know, but if he’s weaponizing government against his opponents, boy, are we in trouble,” Ana Navarro of “The View” said.
“Us. What about us?” Behar said. “Try it! Go ahead! Try it! We have this show every day! OK, Donald?”
