MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough on Tuesday explained why he believes Donald Trump ticks every box when it comes to fascism.
“It’s time that fascism is called fascism and Americans know exactly what they’re voting for,” said the “Morning Joe” cohost. “You know, I’ve heard people poo-poo this and go, ‘Oh, people on the far left.’ No. I’m a conservative, I’m on the right. There’s a difference between conservatism, radicalism and fascism. This is fascism.”
Scarborough went through a New York Times article detailing what he described as “boilerplate” aspects of fascism.
And each trait applied to Republican 2024 frontrunner Trump and his MAGA movement, Scarborough argued.
“Fascism is generally understood as an authoritarian far-right system of government in which hypernationalism is a central component. Check. It also features a cult of personality around a strongman leader. Check. The justification of violence or retribution against opponents. Check. And the repeated denigration of the rule of law. Check,” he said.
Scarborough continued: “Past fascist leaders appeal to a sense of victimhood to justify their actions. Check. We’re entitled because we’ve been robbed, we’ve been victimised, we’ve been cheated and robbed. Check, check, check.”
MAGA Republicans used “whining” and “snowflakery” and a sense of “victimization to justify violence against their opponents,” he added.
Watch Scarborough’s full comments here:
"It's time that fascism is called fascism and Americans know exactly what they're voting for." --@joenbc discussing NYT reporting on Trump's authoritarian bent pic.twitter.com/ItDfOreds6
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) November 21, 2023
