Ty Cobb was a member of the Trump administration’s legal team from July 2017 to May 2018. He said on CNN that Trump was a dire threat to American democracy.
Scary argument
Trump’s legal team made headlines this week when they argued that former presidents could not face prosecution if they had not been impeached and convicted by the Senate. When asked if that immunity extended even to ordering the assassination of political rivals by Navy Seals, Trump lawyer John Sauer agreed.
Nightmare scenario
“It would be very scary if there’s no accountability when someone attempts to stop the peaceful transfer of power,” Cobb said.
Both sides
“Cool,” one Reddit user wrote in response to Trump’s legal argument. “So Biden could have Trump killed by Seal Team Six, and that would be A-OK with the MAGAts? Just making sure I understand the argument from team Trump here.”
Fragile argument
“Hypothetically, under this logic,” one user wrote, “the President can legally kill all congress members that [disagree] with them and continue to do so until the President is left with a congress that won’t impeach? And then said President has complete, unchecked authority as they kill anyone who objects to what they want?”
Not a president
“That’s a king,” another user responded. Cobb echoed this sentiment, arguing that America’s founders did not want “a country where we had a king” but one “where we had an accountable executive.”
Unserious behavior
“I think his legal arguments are interposed solely for delay,” Cobb cautioned. If Trump is able to win the 2024 election before the trial is complete, he could theoretically pardon himself or direct the Justice Department to dismiss the case.
Dark aspirations
Cobb suggested that Trump wants a “lack of accountability” like that of Putin, Iran’s Ayatollah, and China’s Xi Jinping. “I think he may want an America that is like that,” Cobb said.
Praise for dictators
Trump has praised dictators a number of times over the years. In a single speech in December, he quoted Putin to undermine the criminal indictments he faces, praised multiple other authoritarian leaders like Kim Jong Un of North Korea, and claimed immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country,” language critics said echoed that of Hitler.
Dangerous promises
In November, Trump described his political enemies as “vermin” that he would “root out.” “What we have witnessed from Trump over the last few weeks is something new,” said Robert Jones, founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, told NPR. “Trump has clearly crossed into the domain of Nazi ideology openly.”
Authoritarian support
In 2016, political researcher Matthew MacWilliams found that support for authoritarianism was the most significant predictor of whether an individual would support Trump. In fact, it was the only statistically significant variable that predicted a voter’s support for Trump.
Recognize the threat
“I think you have to take Trump seriously,” Cobb argued, “because he poses the gravest threat to democracy that we’ve ever seen.”
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