“This Is an Existential Problem”: Heated Debate Erupts Over Trump’s “Enemies Within” Threat
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A fiery debate unfolded on CNN Monday morning after Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton attempted to downplay former President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric, sparking a swift fact check from CNN anchor Jim Acosta.
During the segment, Singleton tried to argue that Trump’s threatening language about “enemies within” referred primarily to immigration issues, particularly targeting those living in the U.S. without citizenship. “I think he’s talking about immigration,” Singleton began. “And when you look at—”
Acosta immediately interrupted, setting the record straight. “No, no, no,” Acosta countered. “He was talking about what he called radical left people in this country. Americans. Political opponents.”
As Singleton shrugged off the severity of Trump’s remarks, Acosta described them as a “dangerous” threat aimed at American citizens. Singleton, however, dismissed the concern, claiming that Republicans were more focused on policy rather than Trump’s incendiary rhetoric. This casual dismissal infuriated Democratic strategist Julia Roginsky.
“Let me just say something right now,” Roginsky responded firmly. “This is not Donald Trump saying crazy stuff…he’s done this before.” She argued that Trump’s words were not empty threats but echoed past actions, such as his 2018 attempt to block wildfire relief for California until voter data showed that his supporters resided in the affected areas.
Roginsky cited Trump’s recent remarks at a rally, where he suggested he would withhold “fire money” from California Governor Gavin Newsom unless he complied with Trump’s border control policies. “He’s basically letting the voters know that, you know, this is what you’re voting for,” she said, warning that the constraints from his first term may not exist in a second.
When Acosta asked if Democrats needed to ramp up their efforts to combat Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric, Roginsky took the opportunity to criticize the media’s role in not fully addressing the issue. “The media has not done enough to call this out,” she said passionately. “Here you have a fascist — and General Milley is right because all of the markers of a fascist exist in Donald Trump — and yet our news media has not done enough, by any stretch of the imagination, to call this out.”
As evidence, Roginsky pointed to the intense scrutiny President Joe Biden has faced regarding his age and irrelevant criticisms of Gov. Tim Walz’s whereabouts during the Tiananmen Square protests, while Trump’s alarming comments receive less focus.
Singleton, given a chance to respond, surprisingly did not defend his party but instead defended the media. “We have covered it,” he argued. “I just think there are far more consequential issues that impact people’s day-to-day lives.” “With all due respect,” Roginsky replied, shaking her head, “Take a look at the ratio. This is an existential problem.”
