In the wake of his more recent remarks, the one thing everyone has been wondering is whether Donald Trump will be a president or dictator if voted back into office next year. However, it seems that the former President’s staunch supporters are okay even if Trump chooses to be the latter. On Saturday, December 16, 2023, during a rally in Durham, New Hampshire, Trump delivered an inflammatory speech that many were quick to point out was ‘Hitler-echoing’ in nature, as per CBS News . Nonetheless, his fans still seemed to be cheering on their ‘day one dictator.’ Outside the rally, one follower in particular exclaimed, “Sign me up!” reported Mediaite .
The Republican frontrunner has been gaining attention for his controversial dictatorial remarks. While some Republicans have been shrugging off his words, diplomats are questioning the future of America. Unfazed by the criticism, the 77-year-old delivered another version, praising dictators like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong Un. It’s unclear what outcome Trump intended from this rally; he succeeded nonetheless. His fans went into a frenzy over his aggressive speech, screaming and hooting at the top of their lungs to get noticed.
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The media outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) covered the pro-Trump rally. But also, LFA TV was present there, and host Jeremy Herrell interviewed the crowd waiting to get inside. Herrell questioned, “I know you probably wouldn’t in America, but considering what they’ve done to this man, how many people here support Day One Dictator?”
The crowd broke into hoots and cheers. The fan responded, “Day one!” The host again pushed, “Because you know who he’s going to be. It’s not, and it’s not really a dictator. It’s really just giving the people justice for what they deserve, for what they’ve done to us. What do you think about that?”
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The Trump supporter said, “I 100% agree. And I tell everybody that’s why what is going on [with] him has to happen to him first, because now when he gets back in control, it’s game over!” Herrell affirmed, “Yeah.” The fan then added, “If a dictator means he’s going to drill, baby, drill? I’ll… Sign me up for that dictatorship anywhere, baby!”
While some of his fellow Republican critics raised concerns about his open threats, some are still ignoring them as yet another manufactured media storyline, and the 77-year-old’s comments did little to no damage to his performance in polls and hypothetical matches against the other 2024 presidential hopefuls.
NEW: Pollster Frank Luntz says the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to ban Trump from the ballot will backfire and make his poll numbers go up. You love to see it. “I’m convinced that his polling numbers are going to go up.” “Trump is gaining. The more that he’s prosecuted,… pic.twitter.com/CS3Du2Hfjg
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 20, 2023
The media went haywire when Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity at an Iowa town hall that he’d be a ‘dictator only on day one’ if elected for a second term. The real estate mogul said, “He [Hannity] says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?’ I said, no, no, no—other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”
Meanwhile, Carson, a 53-year-old caucus captain from Davenport who attended Trump’s speech, claimed, “A lot of us Trump people get it, but he was trying to fool with the media. He did that on purpose,” reported The Washington Post . “He just did that because he knew the news would go crazy with it.”
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Sheri Berman, a political science professor at Barnard College who studies democracy, populism, and fascism, warned, “When democratic processes, institutions, and norms present a hindrance or even blockage to his whims, will he stand down or does he intend to try to undermine them further? His past behavior and recent statements should lead anyone to believe it is the latter.”