Former President Donald Trump, who earlier this month twice stated his desire to become a dictator, shared an image on social media Tuesday that seemed to indicate, once again, his aspirations to become an autocrat if he wins the 2024 presidential election.
The graphic Trump shared is a word cloud that originated from a Daily Mail survey in which 1,000 voters were asked to state one word that they think describes what Trump wants out of a second term in the White House, if he wins next fall’s presidential contest (the publication also produced a similar word cloud for President Joe Biden).
Within the image, words like “dictator,” “dictatorship” and “autocrat” were featured, as were words like “power” and “control.” “Money” and “corruption” were also among the words used to describe Trump. Centered in the image in bold, red letters, indicating it was the most common response, was the word “revenge.”
While words like these might otherwise be avoided by politicians when describing themselves, Trump appeared to be proud of the outcome, prominently displaying it on his Truth Social account on Tuesday after it had been published online.
Earlier in December, Trump also indicated his desire to be a dictator, at least temporarily, in order to pass draconian and xenophobic laws without question or process on his first day as president, should he win the election in 2024. Trump first expressed that wish during a town hall on Fox News, then reiterated it during a conservative group’s event in New York City.
At the latter event, Trump quibbled with the media’s reporting of his saying he wanted to be a dictator. Still, he did not indicate that the reporting was wrong, just slightly off. “I didn’t say that, I said I want to be a dictator for one day,” he said.
Critics at the time rightly noted, however, that dictatorships, including those with promises of being short-term, are rarely if ever temporary. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, tried to dismiss concerns about Trump’s rhetoric, seeking to normalize his fascistic calls to become an autocrat.
Some of those same critics of Trump chastised him and warned against taking this new social media post lightly.
“Trump keeps telling us he wants to be a dictator. If he wins, he’ll claim that’s his mandate,” said Ian Bassin, executive director of Protect Democracy.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $104,000 in one-time donations and to add 1340 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy