Trump Insists He’s Not A Threat To Democracy
In an interview with TV personality Dr. Phil on Tuesday night, Donald Trump emphasized that he is “not a threat to democracy,” while also suggesting that he survived an assassination attempt last month because God has a plan for him to save the United States—and possibly the world.
The former president made these remarks during a one-hour sit-down in Las Vegas, where he also sought to explain his previous comments about wanting to be a “dictator for one day.” Trump clarified that his intent was to ensure that people “would not have to vote again” if he were to win the White House in November.
Former President Donald Trump once again criticized Democratic rival Kamala Harris, targeting her border policy. He also repeated his unsubstantiated claim that mail-in voting would lead to “massive fraud” and continued to assert the falsehood that he won the 2020 election.
During a conversation about the recent assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was asked by Dr. Phil McGraw why he believed his life was spared.
“The only thing I can think of is that God loves our country and believes we’re going to restore it. He wants us to bring it back because things are really bad right now,” Trump responded.
“It has to be God. I mean, how can you say it’s luck when it’s, you know, 20 million to one? I mean, it’s just not possible that I was in that position. It’s the only position where that bullet could have missed.”
Asked by Dr Phil if he believed that “God’s hand” had played a part in his survival, the former president replied: “I do.”
He added, “Winning would be a sign that there’s a higher power guiding me, not just to save our country, but perhaps even the world.”
Trump also compared the risks of being president to those of other high-risk jobs, stating that it’s “far more dangerous than being a race car driver or any other profession.”
During the interview, Trump also expressed his frustration with the media, saying he’s been “demonized” by “very dishonest reporting” and that some of his previous comments have been misrepresented.
At a conservative event last month, Trump urged his supporters to vote, saying, “You’ve got to get out and vote. In four years, you won’t need to vote again because we’ll have everything fixed so well that voting won’t be necessary.”
But in his interview with Dr Phil on Tuesday, Trump hit back at suggestions that the remarks referred to ending democratic elections.
“I said to the Christians, we’ve got to win this election,” he said. “We win this election, I’ll straighten everything out in less than four years by a lot.
Here’s a rewritten version of the passage:
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s not a big deal. What I’m trying to say is, just because you’re not required to vote doesn’t mean we won’t have elections. Elections will happen, but this time, you really need to vote because we need to win,” he clarified.
He continued, “That’s exactly what I meant, and I made it clear. Everyone knows I said it like that, and everyone agrees with my explanation.”
Trump also addressed his previous comments to Fox News’ Sean Hannity in December, where he joked about being “a dictator for one day.” He insisted the remark was made in humor and was really about his eagerness to get things done quickly.
“It was said with a laugh,” he explained. “The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, but then they edited it… and it suddenly looks like I said, ‘I want to be a dictator.’
“These are very dishonest people we’re dealing with—very dishonest, bad people,” he added.
Trump’s interview with Dr. Phil took place just a day before former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was scheduled to have a sit-down with the TV host.
On Friday, Kennedy officially exited the race and endorsed Donald Trump, signaling a significant shift in the political landscape.
In an interview with Dr. Phil, Trump expressed his appreciation for RFK Jr.’s support, stating, “I’m truly honored. He’s a smart and unique individual who loves our country. He has some very good ideas on a lot of issues. We’ve known each other for quite some time and have a friendly relationship.”
Trump continued, “I believe he’ll be a valuable asset. Whether he’ll have a role in the administration, I can’t say just yet—we haven’t discussed it. But his endorsement definitely adds a lot of momentum to the election.”
This interview comes at a critical time, as recent polls show Trump starting to fall behind Vice President Kamala Harris, whose campaign has gained significant fundraising traction.
According to the latest national poll average from FiveThirtyEight, Harris leads Trump by 3.5 points, although the race remains competitive, particularly in key swing states.
A recent poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University, released on Friday, further highlights Harris’s growing advantage, showing her leading Trump by seven points when factoring in race and gender.
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