Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., issued a warning on Wednesday’s “Deadline: White House,” telling MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace that American democracy will be jeopardized if Democrats fail to secure victory in November’s midterm elections.
According to the senator, if Republicans maintain control of Washington, President Donald Trump will feel more “empowered” and “emboldened” to hold onto power.
“Make no mistake, he’s building that ballroom because he doesn’t think he’s going anywhere,” he said.
While Trump has refused to rule out seeking a third term, which would be a violation of the Constitution, Murphy told Wallace the threat the president poses to American democracy will not simply disappear if his name isn’t on the ballot.
“Even if he may not run for another term, he thinks his family is going to still be in charge,” he said. “He thinks he’s building a monarchical structure in which he and his family and his cronies never leave the White House.”
With that possibility hanging over the midterms, Murphy urged Americans to take action this November and give Democrats control over Congress, granting them the ability to check the president and his executive overreach.
“If we don’t stand up for our democracy, if we don’t win this November, he is going to feel empowered, emboldened,” the Connecticut Democrat warned. “There are going to be more people who are scared of him, more institutions in this country who will fold, and it might be the end of our democracy.”
While Murphy said he’s worried about the future of America’s republic, he also told Wallace he still has hope that the country could withstand Trump’s attempts to hold onto power.
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“People in this country aren’t ready to give up on democracy,” he said. “They think it’s broken and corrupted, but they’re not ready to give up.”
“I just think we have to level with people about what the stakes are,” he added.
“So if we tell them that it’s at risk, people will actually show up, and that’s exactly what has happened over the last year and a half,” Murphy said, noting how Democrats have overperformed in many elections since Trump retook the White House.
“We have defended most of his attempts to try to rig the rules. More citizens are involved than ever before,” he said. “So as alarmist as I have been, I am also optimistic.”
You can watch Murphy’s full interview in the clip at the top of the page.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. She was previously a segment producer for “AYMAN” and “The Mehdi Hasan Show.”