In a scathing, multi-part piece ahead of next week’s Republican National Convention, The New York Times editorial board argued that Donald Trump is “dangerous” and “unfit to lead the country.”
“He has a utter lack of respect for the Constitution, the rule of law and the American people,” Thursday’s article argued. “Rather than a compelling vision for the country’s future, Trump is driven by a thirst for political power: using the instruments of government to advance his own interests, satisfy his own impulses and exact revenge on those he believes have wronged him.”
The editorial board pointed to a variety of factors supporting the allegations, including Trump’s continued false claims about the 2020 election, his support for the January 6 rioters, and his stated plans for mass deportations and the unilateral use of military force against domestic protesters.
He also criticizes the Republican Party as a whole, saying it was “once a great political party.” [that] It now serves the interests of a man who is more obviously unfit for the presidency than anyone who has ever run for office in the long history of our republic.”
The Independent has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
The Times argues that Republicans have betrayed themselves by continuing to support Trump. (Associated Press)
The paper’s editorial board is a group of editorial writers, and the paper says it “does not represent the editorial board or The Times as a whole.”
Trump may have lost the national record books, but he will go into next week’s Republican National Convention politically stronger than ever, despite the unprecedented record of becoming the first president in U.S. history to be criminally charged.
Most national polls show Trump will beat Joe Biden in the general election, and Democrats are currently engaged in an embarrassing public debate about whether another candidate should replace Biden ahead of November, following Trump’s dismal performance in the debates and questions about his mental fitness to do the job.
The editorial board’s shocking statement means that The Times has taken a stance against candidates from both major parties.
In an article earlier this week, the editorial board described Biden as a “figure in decline” and said he “put the country at grave risk by ignoring the concerns of his constituents — his fellow citizens — and continuing to insist he is the best Democrat to defeat Trump.”
“He doesn’t seem to understand that now he is the problem, and that the Democrats’ best hope of keeping the White House is for him to go,” the article argued.
Meanwhile, Biden has claimed he is the man who can beat Donald Trump in 2024.
He is due to give a solo major press conference on Thursday as part of a NATO summit in Washington DC marking the 75th anniversary of the organisation’s founding.