During a Fox News town hall, Trump refused to rule out acting as a dictator, repeatedly saying 'except for Day One" when pressed by Sean Hannity.
'Dictator for a Day' Statement
Key Facts3
- 01When given multiple opportunities to deny dictatorial ambitions, repeatedly said 'except for Day One'
- 02Democracy experts called it 'the clearest authoritarian threat ever made by an American presidential candidate'
- 03Later doubled down at rallies, joking about the statement rather than clarifying
Sources4
Verified across 4 sources
—News Reports
CBS News: Trump says he would be a dictator only on 'Day One' if he wins a second term→NBC News: Trump says he won't be a dictator if elected, 'except for Day One'→ABC News: Trump raises new alarms, saying he wouldn't be a 'dictator' except on 'Day One'→Washington Post: Trump says he wouldn't be a dictator 'except for Day One'→