Trump’s Campaign Message Intensifies as Election Day Approaches

With only three weeks remaining until Election Day, former President Donald J. Trump is amplifying a troubling narrative as a central theme of his campaign: the assertion that he would leverage the powers of the presidency to dismantle the opposition. In a recent interview with Fox News, Mr. Trump depicted Democrats as a dangerous “enemy from within”, suggesting that their actions could lead to chaos on Election Day, which he speculated might require intervention from the National Guard.

The following day, he concluded his speech at what was promoted as a town hall event in Pennsylvania with a chilling proclamation about his political adversaries. “They are so bad and frankly, they’re evil,” Mr. Trump declared. “They’re evil. What they’ve done, they’ve weaponized our elections. They’ve done things that nobody thought were even possible.”

On Tuesday, he reiterated his contentious stance by once again declining to assure a peaceful transition of power during an interview at an economic forum in Chicago. As early voting kicks off in critical battleground states, the trajectory of the presidential race is unfolding in a remarkably alarming manner.

Mr. Trump has a history of flirting with, and at times openly endorsing, anti-democratic practices. His persistent refusal to acknowledge the results of the 2020 election, along with his embrace of conspiracy theories surrounding widespread voter fraud, have raised serious concerns. Furthermore, he has accused the justice system of being weaponized against him, which adds to the gravity of the situation.

Notably, he has expressed admiration for authoritarian figures such as President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, praising their strongman tactics. This ongoing rhetoric and behavior underscore a troubling trend as the nation gears up for a pivotal election.