Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photos By (L) Theo Wargo; (R) Mark Peterson
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has expressed concerns that a re-elected President Donald Trump could target her personally, potentially placing her in an internment camp. “Trump and his allies are openly discussing weaponizing the government to retaliate against critics in media and politics,” noted CNN senior media reporter Oliver Darcy.
He asked Maddow, “Some of his extremist supporters even talk about jailing their fellow Americans. Are you worried you could be a target?” Maddow responded, “I’m worried about the country broadly if we put someone in power who is openly avowing that he plans to build camps to hold millions of people and to ‘root out’ what he’s described in subhuman terms as his ‘enemy from within.’”
During her interview with Darcy, Maddow emphasized the seriousness of Trump’s rhetoric. “He’s not joking when he says this stuff, and we’ve seen what happens when people take power proclaiming that kind of agenda,” she stated. Maddow cautioned against complacency, highlighting that Trump’s intentions might extend beyond targeting high-profile liberals, as per WEYI.
“Do you think he plans to stop at well-known liberals?” she asked, urging vigilance and awareness of the broader implications for the country. She added, “It seems clear that some politicians think they’ll be on the safe side, maybe even benefit, if they side with Trump. Ask Mike Pence how that worked out in the end.”
Maddow posed a chilling scenario: “When Trump invokes the Insurrection Act to deploy the U.S. military against civilians on his first day in office, do you think he rescinds the order on day two?” She continued to question the broader implications of Trump’s plans: “What convinces you that these massive camps he’s planning are only for migrants? So, yes, I’m worried about me—but only as much as I’m worried about all of us.”
Rachel Maddow, a steadfast opponent of Trump’s political ambitions, previously stated in August that she fears Trump could become a “president for life,” essentially a dictator if he secures a second term in the White House. Raising concerns about the potential ramifications for American democracy, she asked, “If every election is a new opportunity for him to go to prison, do you think he allows us to have new elections? I mean, if those are the stakes, if winning the election is his plan to stay out of prison, what happens in that election if and when he does not win it?”
In an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, widely known as Dr. Phil, Trump discussed the notion of revenge. “Well, revenge does take time, I will say that. And sometimes revenge can be justified, Phil. I have to be honest. Sometimes it can,” Trump said. Maddow has been a fierce critic of Trump since his initial election victory in 2016, with her stunned reaction to his win over Hillary Clinton becoming one of the defining media moments of that election.
