Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared Thursday American democracy is regressing into an autocracy under President Trump.
Sanders spoke about threats to democracy at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, where he led off with a provocative accusation directed at Trump. “Under President Trump, our country is moving in an authoritarian direction and the very nature of American democracy is under attack,” Bernie said to a room full of attendees.
We must do everything we can to preserve our democracy and oppose the current drift toward authoritarianism Trump represents. #BernieCEIP
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 22, 2017
Bernie cited three ways in which he believes Trump threatens American democracy: dishonesty to his constituents, disdain towards the media, and a disregard for the separation of powers.
“There is no politician that I know, and certainly no president in the history of this country, who has told as many outrageous and blatant lies as Donald Trump has,” Sanders said.
As supporting evidence of democracy fading before our eyes, Bernie noted Trump’s treatment of the mainstream media. “Not unrelated to his pathological lying is Trump’s unprecedented and vicious attacks on the media.” Bernie admits he is no stranger to criticizing media, but insists Trump’s disparagement is worse.
Sanders went so far as to claim Trump is more comfortable with “autocratic and authoritarian leaders” than he is with democratically elected ones.
It is rather strange that our president seems more comfortable with autocrats and authoritarians than democratic leaders. #BernieCEIP
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 22, 2017