Donald Trump said many things throughout his campaign trail but this time, he made a sensational claim, assuring his devout Christian supporters that this would be the last election if he won back the White House in November. While addressing a conservative group’s Turning Point Action in West Palm Beach, Florida, the former president urged his fans to vote “just this time.”
“Christians get out and vote. Just this time,” the 78-year-old politician urged. “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore my beautiful Christians. I love you Christians and I’m a Christian. I love you, you got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote,” as per CBS News.
Although it was unclear what Trump’s remarks could actually mean, it drew backlash from critics on social media, cementing claims of his opponents who call him a threat to democracy after he allegedly tried to overturn the 2020 elections against his political rival and Democrat Joe Biden leading to fatal insurrection at the US Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.
Democracy is in danger. This is not a drill. pic.twitter.com/oujGCaVPZb
— Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) July 27, 2024
For instance, Dr. Allison Gill, co-host of the podcast Jack , posted the words Trump uttered at the event on X formerly Twitter, and expressed her concern, “Democracy is in danger. This is not a drill.” Former editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, reposted the video of Trump making the remark and captioned, “Nobody can say they weren’t warned: Trump does full Caesar and says nobody will need to vote in four years. ‘It will be all fixed.'”
Nobody can say they weren’t warned: Trump does full Caesar and says nobody will need to vote in four years. “It will be all fixed” https://t.co/CltCiLgvl3
— Lionel Barber (@lionelbarber) July 27, 2024
More critics like attorney Andrew L. Seidel condemned his words and expressed alarm alluding to his authoritarian rhetoric indicating towards the end of democracy if he’s back in the Oval Office. Seidel wrote, “He’s talking to ‘my beautiful Christians’ here. And saying they won’t have to vote again. This is not subtle Christian Nationalism, he’s talking about ending our democracy and installing a Christian nation.”
He’s talking to “my beautiful Christians” here. And saying they won’t have to vote again. This is not subtle Christian Nationalism, he’s talking about ending our democracy and installing a Christian nation. https://t.co/6vmzel9SAE
— Andrew L. Seidel (@AndrewLSeidel) July 27, 2024
Actor Morgan Fairchild added in a separate X post, “BUT…what if I WANT to vote again?? I was always raised that we got to vote again! That is AMERICA…” Meanwhile, NBC legal commentator Katie Phang echoed the same sentiment, “In other words, Trump won’t ever leave the White House if he gets re-elected.”
🚨 In other words, Trump won’t ever leave the White House if he gets re-elected https://t.co/NiD4lKRiu8
— Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) July 27, 2024
For a long time, Trump and his authoritarian remarks have been compared to infamous dictators in history. Trump himself said he’d be a “dictator only on day one” of his return as United States president in November in December 2023. At Town Hall Iowa hosted by Sean Hannity of Fox News.
Hannity asked, “Under no circumstances, you are promising America tonight, [that] you would never abuse power as retribution against anybody?” The Republican front-runner responded, “Except for day one,” referring to using his presidential power to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling, as per The Guardian.