Is Donald Trump a threat to US democracy? - BBC News

Former President Donald Trump is the favourite to be the Republican candidate who will face Joe Biden in the 2024 US presidential election.

Some of Trump’s critics say this election isn’t just about policies but also about US democracy itself.

Including President Biden, who said in his first campaign speech last week, "whether democracy is still America's sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time."

BBC editor, Ros Atkins, explains why the stakes are so high for 2024.

#DonaldTrump #JoeBiden #2024PresidentialElections #BBCNews

[brettbt]

It's interesting that Trump has pledged to appoint a special prosecutor to go after the current President when Trump is in court right now trying to argue that sitting Presidents have criminal immunity. All Jack Smith has to do is reference Trump's pledge against Biden in court, and his immunity defense falls apart.

[randyh]

Extremely well done commentary from the BBC. Clearly explains why Trump poses such a real, existential threat to our democracy. It continues to astound me, how millions of Americans can cover their eyes and whistle in the dark.

[Nebagram]

hearing Trump speak is just embarrassing. He's a grown man who's having tantrums live on TV and can't think of anything beyond his own ego.

[justinwr]

My hat goes off to you. I know how you're supposed to cover such insanity, but you're doing as well as can be expected. I live in Texas, and I wish I could just run and hide from all of this most days.

[johnnydoe]

Yes

He Openly Admits that he Wants
to be a Dictator. 😊

[JohnComeOnMan]

So proud to be an American, land of the confused, home of idiocracy. Come join us!

[joermnyc]

Yes, and he’s also a threat to common decency, sanity, and moral standards. (Not one of his fans cares about his “grab them by the 🐈” comments. Not one.)

Also everything Trump claims someone else is doing, that’s what HE is doing.

[racookster]

Donald Trump's arguments consist almost entirely of, "Nuh-uh! YOU are!" and throwing tantrums. If he accuses an opponent of something, you can bet his opponent is innocent but Trump is guilty of that same charge. He has the emotional maturity of a five-year-old. And, that works for him.

[cuana]

He doesn’t believe he has so much power, he just wants it to be so.

[AndreAmorim-AA]

The book ‘Propaganda’ by Edward Bernays, a classic work written in 1928, remains relevant today and is considered one of the founding texts of modern propaganda theory. It explains how propaganda can manipulate public opinion and behavior by appealing to the emotions and desires of the masses. The book also provides insights into the psychology and sociology of propaganda, examining its role in both democracy and dictatorship. In Trump’s case, it is obvious he is just trying to protect his own interests.

[Arulane]

He wants toadies who will do whatever they are told.
And no, we are NOT laughing.

[SuperLazyGarfield]

Why is he allowed to be a candidate with so much evidence of criminal activities?? It’s like making a murderer a police.

[seanreusing]

As a born US citizen, all I can say is January 6, 2021 is all the evidence needed to be shown. I'm sure citizens of the UK can recall moments in their own history of how to deal with tyrants properly. We over here constantly get it wrong

[polygonalmasonary]

Answer: YES absolutely. Nearly 100% of British people know this but it appears a large proportion of Americans are prepared to tolerate the demise of US democracy and suffer a dictatorship instead. 😮🇬🇧🌈♥️👍

[John-evrm]

When are people ever going to learn, the lessons, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Putin didn't teach them anything?

[Yggdrasilsvogter]

He's a treath to the whole world peace 👋🏼😳

[kierenmoore]

It’s like voting for Cartman as President … only with real world consequences … You’d have to be insane, a nihilist, or trolling the whole world …

[gamelot]

January 6th was the first attack on the Capitol since 1812. It was not a normal event, and should not be reduced to one.

[dwh]

I don't hear that term anymore now that Kamala is the front runner without a single vote

[Mrthcenturyman]

I've been following Trump and Biden's careers for 40 years. Trump is the worst example of a business leader and president we have had in America. Joe Biden is the most Kind and gentle man whom we are proud to have as the leader of our country.