In response to Donald Trump doubling down on his praise for authoritarianism, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement: 

“Donald Trump wants to be a dictator on ‘day one’ so badly that he can’t stop fawning over authoritarians and promising Americans they ‘won’t have to vote anymore’ if he wins. The Trump-Vance ticket’s Project 2025 agenda would gut checks and balances and replace the rule of law with the rule of Trump — and Trump is already setting the stage for more political violence, warning of a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses. The American people believe in our democracy, and want no part of Trump’s extreme vision to tear it down.”

Today, Donald Trump once again fawned over a foreign authoritarian, envious of how “they can do whatever they want.”

Trump: “So, listen to how good it is, it’s so easy. It’s so easy. China’s used it for years, but we have a better plan than them. But they’ve used it for years. They can do whatever they want. You know, we have to go through certain, certain hurdles. But not much.”

PBS News, 2018: “Chinese President Xi Jinping recently consolidated power. Trump told the gathering: ‘He’s now president for life. President for life. And he’s great.’ Trump added, ‘I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll give that a shot someday.’”

Trump has told Americans that they “won’t have to vote anymore,” vowed to be a dictator on “day one,” has warned of a “bloodbath” if he loses in November, and is seeking power to go after his opponents…

Trump: “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what – it will be fixed, it will be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore.”

Washington Post: “Trump pledges to jail opponents, baselessly suggests election will be stolen from him”

Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN: “Many people have lost American presidential elections over the last 230 years – Trump is the only one to say about violence if he loses ‘it depends.’”

NBC News: “Trump says there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses the election”

The Atlantic: “Trump Says He’ll Be a Dictator on ‘Day One’”

Trump: “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what – it will be fixed, it will be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore.”

Vance: “I think what Donald Trump is simply saying is we ought to investigate the prior administration.”

Associated Press: “Trump declines to rule out abusing power to seek retribution if he returns to the White House”

Washington Post: “Trump calls political enemies ‘vermin,’ echoing dictators Hitler, Mussolini”

The Guardian: “Donald Trump says he will lock up his political enemies if he is president again.”

… something that JD Vance has no problem with.

Kristen Welker, NBC: “Senator, if former President Trump were to win, if you were to be his vice president, would you support him appointing a special prosecutor to go after his political enemies, the Bidens?”

[…]

Vance: “Donald Trump is talking about appointing a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden for wrongdoing.”

[…]

“I think what Donald Trump is simply saying is we ought to investigate the prior administration.”

Trump is still pushing baseless lies about his loss by over 7 million votes in the 2020 election, as Vance refuses to commit to accepting this November’s results.

Associated Press: “[Trump] is flooding the airwaves and his social media platform with distortions, misinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories about his defeat.”

NBC News: “Re-litigating the 2020 election, repeating false claims it was stolen and casting aspersions on the security of mail voting remain major fixtures for [Trump] on the stump. … He regularly refers to the 2020 election as ‘rigged’ on his social media channels.”

HuffPost: “[Vance] said he would accept a Biden win only if he considered the election to be legitimate. … Vance’s comments illustrate a new tactic by Republican lawmakers, who are now placing conditions on accepting election results.”

New York Times: “J.D. Vance Says He Would Accept the Election Results, With a Caveat”

Trump continues to praise and promise pardons for violent January 6 rioters – who he calls “hostages” and “patriots.” 

The Hill: “Trump describes imprisoned Jan. 6 rioters as ‘hostages’”

Washington Post: “Trump vows pardons, government apology to Capitol rioters if elected”

NBC News: “Former President Donald Trump promised Wednesday night that if he is elected he will pardon a ‘large portion’ of the people convicted of federal offenses for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.”

Trump: “January 6, it was the largest crowd I’ve ever spoken to. And they were there proud, they were there with love in their heart. That was an unbelievable — and it was a beautiful day.”

Rachel Scott, ABC News: “140 police officers were assaulted [on January 6]. Their injuries included broken bones, at least one officer lost an eye, one had two cracked ribs, two smashed spinal discs, another had a stroke. Were the people who assaulted those 140 officers, including those I just mentioned, ‘patriots’ who deserve pardons?”

[Trump refuses to answer]

Scott: “But sir, my question is on those rioters who assaulted officers. Would you pardon those people?”

Donald Trump: “Oh absolutely I would. If they’re innocent, I would pardon them.”

Scott: “They’ve been convicted.”