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Mr. Sparkle

(3,486 posts)
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 02:41 PM Sep 4

Trump's second presidency is 'most dangerous period' since second world war, Mitch McConnell says

Source: The Guardian

The world during Donald Trump’s second presidency has entered a period of danger with “certain similarities to the 30s”, according to Mitch McConnell, the veteran Republican former Senate leader. McConnell made the comments primarily in reference to tariffs and foreign affairs, in a wide-ranging interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader published on Wednesday as he prepares to enter his final year in office. Calling it “the most dangerous period since before world war two”, McConnell was openly critical of the Trump administration’s fixation with trade tariffs, which he likened to the isolationist policies of the US in the 1930s that historians say hastened a global depression that paved the path to conflict.

But while decrying the lack of US preparedness to confront authoritarian regimes abroad, the 83-year-old McConnell – a senator since 1985 and leader of Republicans in the chamber for a record 18 years until he stood down earlier this year, then announced his upcoming retirement – did not discuss the Trump administration’s own moves towards authoritarianism.

He also glossed over his own responsibility for handing Trump so much power. As majority leader, McConnell maneuvered to deny Barack Obama a rightful supreme court pick, and rushed to give Trump another in the final weeks of his first term in 2020. It made McConnell the architect of the current ultraconservative 6-3 majority on a panel that critics say has been overly loyal to Trump, not least last year’s astonishing ruling giving him immunity for criminal acts. In the interview, McConnell said he had been focusing on “defense and foreign policy” in the months since returning to the Senate’s back benches, and had become worried about the direction he believed Trump’s “make America great again” (Maga) trade policies were leading the world. “I think this is the most dangerous period since before world war two. There’s certain similarities right now to the 30s,” he said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/04/trump-dangerous-period-mitch-mcconnell

45 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump's second presidency is 'most dangerous period' since second world war, Mitch McConnell says (Original Post) Mr. Sparkle Sep 4 OP
Moscow Mitch can UpInArms Sep 4 #1
The Kentucky Chain Saw Massacre. Starring Moscow Mitch, costars are on the Epstein list. twodogsbarking Sep 4 #4
Mitch could have pulled the switch when he was 45th. forgotmylogin Sep 4 #13
And his legacy will forever be having helped Trump bring it. JI7 Sep 4 #2
Mitch's ring in hell will be right above Trump's, maybe below. IT is stupid, Mitch is not but he LoisB Sep 4 #3
McConnell is more evil than the Trump, because he enabled him, even though he knew better. Fil1957 Sep 4 #5
I know its hard to fathom, but he's not more evil maxsolomon Sep 4 #12
Says the man responsible for preventing Trump's removal from office. Twice. Martin68 Sep 4 #6
The number of times I've ever agreed with McConnell PatSeg Sep 4 #7
Thanks to you, Moscow Mitch. Kid Berwyn Sep 4 #8
I think the danger to America is greater with Trump than WW2 was ...nt Jarqui Sep 4 #9
Maybe. markodochartaigh Sep 4 #28
It wasn't that easy Jarqui Sep 4 #39
I agree with most of what you said. markodochartaigh Sep 5 #40
Sure Jarqui Sep 5 #42
Kiss my a** Mitch! no_hypocrisy Sep 4 #10
FU Moscow Mitch IzzaNuDay Sep 4 #11
Doctor tell him he only has 48 hours to live? Bengus81 Sep 4 #14
That is my suspicion as well. hamsterjill Sep 4 #34
He did this. He can't erase the stain. Oneironaut Sep 4 #15
Fuck you where you breathe, McConnell. Paladin Sep 4 #16
What a MISERABLE USELESS FUCK Blue Owl Sep 4 #17
Moscow Mitch has really done his part... Old Testament Libera Sep 4 #18
McConnell facilitated this! maspaha Sep 4 #19
You made it all possible, Mitch Botany Sep 4 #20
Mitch admits his treason... kevinore Sep 4 #21
Eat a bag of rotting dicks nt róisín_dubh Sep 4 #22
But will Mitch go on a speaking tour? KS Toronado Sep 4 #23
Hypocritical mea culpas as you approach the end of your thoroughly disreputable career will not absolve you, Mitch. sop Sep 4 #24
You contributed to this, Mitch Half-step Sep 4 #25
Says the man single-handedly responsible for ushering it in LearnedHand Sep 4 #26
Well todays senate could stop in ONE FUCKING bluestarone Sep 4 #27
The GOP could cooperate with impeachment and our national nightmare would travelingthrulife Sep 5 #43
Exactly! that's what i was refering to. bluestarone Sep 5 #44
Supreme Court Keepthesoulalive Sep 4 #29
Another "nobody could have anticipated..." moment in American politics. Midnight Writer Sep 4 #30
Does he not have any allies that he could convince to stand up to trump IcyPeas Sep 4 #31
McConnell had the opportunity The Wizard Sep 4 #32
Hey Asshole Sober Retiree Sep 4 #33
I would pay drmeow Sep 4 #35
Mr. Yuk is Mitch eringer Sep 4 #36
McConnell you were his yes man for quite some time. republianmushroom Sep 4 #37
Fuck off turtle. Javaman Sep 4 #38
Mitch McConnel says today. tomorrow meek as a lamb after taco calls him and Captain Zero Sep 5 #41
Funny how these bastards always seem to want to "sound the warning" when they're at the end of their lives and... LudwigPastorius Sep 5 #45

forgotmylogin

(7,924 posts)
13. Mitch could have pulled the switch when he was 45th.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:28 PM
Sep 4

He would have gotten a teeny bit of a redemption arc, but he chose not to.

It's possible now that worms are turning he's "allowed" to be against Don, but whatever, thanks for nothing.

LoisB

(11,628 posts)
3. Mitch's ring in hell will be right above Trump's, maybe below. IT is stupid, Mitch is not but he
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 02:52 PM
Sep 4

miscalculated his ability to control IT.

maxsolomon

(37,356 posts)
12. I know its hard to fathom, but he's not more evil
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:11 PM
Sep 4

He's pretty evil, but he's not a toxic Narcissistic Sociopath Rapist. Trump is in the Top 5 most evil people on earth. Putin is #1.

PatSeg

(50,944 posts)
7. The number of times I've ever agreed with McConnell
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 03:25 PM
Sep 4
ONE!

Sorry Mitch, too little, too late. You could have prevented this nightmare. Your legacy is still dirt.

markodochartaigh

(4,012 posts)
28. Maybe.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:55 PM
Sep 4

In WWII most of the danger was from easily identifiable foreign sources that were easy to unite most people in the US against. Now the danger is mostly from inside the US and one third of the US supports the anti-democracy forces and one third doesn't have a clue.

Jarqui

(10,759 posts)
39. It wasn't that easy
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 09:51 PM
Sep 4

The attack on Pearl Harbor is what really united Americans. Prior to that, they were not so eager to join in the fight.

In this situation, the threat is within the borders. The electorate has been dumbed down and the media is mostly controlled by the oligarchs who enable Trump. Widespread journalism is almost gone.

A significant portion of the electorate is oblivious to what is going on. They're not going to see smoldering sinking ships from a sneak attack to wake them up. They're going to wake up one day when it is probably too late wondering "what happened to my rights & my ability to vote, etc?" The propaganda isn't coming from Nazi Germany - it is coming from their own leaders and media. America might lose its democracy without a single shot fired until it is too late.

markodochartaigh

(4,012 posts)
40. I agree with most of what you said.
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 12:58 AM
Sep 5

However there is also an international component to our predicament which we can't ignore. Putin, Netanyahu, Orbán, Bolsonaro, etc are supporting the destruction of democracy in the US and around the world. Bannon's authoritarian school in Italy is a training ground for the international anti-democracy movement.

Jarqui

(10,759 posts)
42. Sure
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 09:27 AM
Sep 5

But they're helping destroy the democracy from within without firing a shot.

Can't fight that with conventional warfare.
All the money the US spent on defense ... and all the oligarchs had to do was compromise the effectiveness of the education system and control the free press to destroy democracy.

hamsterjill

(16,542 posts)
34. That is my suspicion as well.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 07:24 PM
Sep 4

Starting to worry about his legacy. A little too late there, Mitchy-boy!

Oneironaut

(6,125 posts)
15. He did this. He can't erase the stain.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:53 PM
Sep 4

I hope it haunts him to his last breath, and then haunts his legacy.

Paladin

(31,604 posts)
16. Fuck you where you breathe, McConnell.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:57 PM
Sep 4

Trying to give us warnings about trump, at this point? After all you did over the years, to put this nightmare in place? I'd tell you to be ashamed, but I know you don't have the capacity for it...

Blue Owl

(57,346 posts)
17. What a MISERABLE USELESS FUCK
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:59 PM
Sep 4

Go to hell McConnell.

Oh wait -- you already brought it HERE, you stupid fuck...

18. Moscow Mitch has really done his part...
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:05 PM
Sep 4

...to make the world much more dangerous than it needed to be. Thanks, Mitch! Can we call you Franz? (harking to an earlier time...)

Botany

(75,307 posts)
20. You made it all possible, Mitch
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:12 PM
Sep 4

Fuck you. You could have upheld the House's
Impeachment. You could have spent the money
on stopping election fraud because you knew
Republicans win by cheating. You could not have
packed the Supreme Court with shits who made
Trump above the law. You could have not allowed
the ramming through of Judge Cannon whose job was
to protect Trump from his law breaking.

Fuck you Mitch.

kevinore

(81 posts)
21. Mitch admits his treason...
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:12 PM
Sep 4


This would be a surprise to me if I were not conscious over the last 20 years or so. His legacy should be tied to Trump's throughout history.

KS Toronado

(21,273 posts)
23. But will Mitch go on a speaking tour?
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:31 PM
Sep 4

All the news organizations would bend over backwards to interview him I would think.
Not FQX or their off-springs.

sop

(16,030 posts)
24. Hypocritical mea culpas as you approach the end of your thoroughly disreputable career will not absolve you, Mitch.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:34 PM
Sep 4

LearnedHand

(5,012 posts)
26. Says the man single-handedly responsible for ushering it in
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:35 PM
Sep 4

Beginning with withholding Obama’s SCOTUS nomination and falling downhill thereafter.

bluestarone

(20,287 posts)
27. Well todays senate could stop in ONE FUCKING
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:53 PM
Sep 4

VOTE! Then today's HOUSE could stop him in one fucking VOTE! Tired of these IDIOTS blaming everyone but THEMSELVES!!

travelingthrulife

(3,251 posts)
43. The GOP could cooperate with impeachment and our national nightmare would
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 11:05 AM
Sep 5

be partially over.

We could be rid of him in days.

bluestarone

(20,287 posts)
44. Exactly! that's what i was refering to.
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 11:33 AM
Sep 5

BOTH houses could get rid of this nightmare in short time. We need to push that thought vocally every day. Hell, when McConnell stated that TSF is the most dangerous president we've ever had, that's when EVERY Democrat should have jumped his shit with these words. "then remove him"

Keepthesoulalive

(1,817 posts)
29. Supreme Court
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:56 PM
Sep 4

You greased the wheels and you were the engineer for this train wreck. You do not get to hide in the bushes and pretend you did not cause it.

Midnight Writer

(24,709 posts)
30. Another "nobody could have anticipated..." moment in American politics.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:02 PM
Sep 4

Trump is the culmination of what the Republican Party and its leaders, like Moscow Mitch, have been working towards for decades.

Even the last Republican President, W Bush, "joked around" about becoming America's dictator.




IcyPeas

(24,224 posts)
31. Does he not have any allies that he could convince to stand up to trump
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:04 PM
Sep 4

Nothing's going to stop trump when they all vote for whatever the fux he wants. Does Mitch not have any friends that he could convince? Imagine being in his position all those years and now no one cares what he says. Wow. Nice legacy you're leaving yourself with mitch.

The Wizard

(13,390 posts)
32. McConnell had the opportunity
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:46 PM
Sep 4

to find Trump guilty in the impeachment trial in the Senate. Mitch chose to back the Siberian Candidate. McConnell is the master dissembler.

Javaman

(64,482 posts)
38. Fuck off turtle.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 08:15 PM
Sep 4

You and your cowardly idiot repuke asshole buddies could end this bullshit anytime

So just shut the fuck up

Captain Zero

(8,407 posts)
41. Mitch McConnel says today. tomorrow meek as a lamb after taco calls him and
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 06:13 AM
Sep 5

chews on his wrinkly ass some more.

LudwigPastorius

(13,399 posts)
45. Funny how these bastards always seem to want to "sound the warning" when they're at the end of their lives and...
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 01:48 PM
Sep 5

circling the drain.

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