Among those being mentioned for Trump’s secretary of defense are Christopher Miller, who served temporarily during his administration, Michael Flynn and Mike Pompeo.

Donald Trump is sparking fears among those who understand the inner workings of the Pentagon that he would convert the nonpartisan U.S. military into the muscular arm of his political agenda as he makes comments about dictatorship and devalues the checks and balances that underpin the nation’s two-century-old democracy.

A circle of appointees independent of Trump’s political operation steered him away from ideas that would have pushed the limits of presidential power in his last term, according to books they’ve written and testimony given to Congress. Most were gone by the end. In a new term, many former officials worry that Trump would instead surround himself with loyalists unwilling to say no.

Trump has raised fresh questions about his intentions if he regains power by putting forward a legal theory that a president would be free to do nearly anything with impunity — including assassinate political rivals — so long as Congress can’t muster the votes to impeach him and throw him out of office.

  • ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I feel like genocide is an ok thing to care about. My vote doesn’t matter since I’m not in a swing state. I’m going to vote for Biden anyway but if someone in a firmly red or blue state wants to cast a protest vote against genocide, that’s not a vote for Trump.

    • winterayars@sh.itjust.works
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      5 months ago

      Genocide is definitely an ok thing to care about but it is not a reason to vote for Trump. There isn’t really an anti-genocide candidate right now. Or like, in the last 20+ years of presidential elections.

    • jezebelley@leminal.space
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      5 months ago

      When you’re going to have a near 100% republican turnout for Trump any liberal who abstains from voting is essentially voting for Trump.