Oct. 4, 2025 Editor, The News-Gazette: Donald Trump’s current speech is unlike any previous American president. His spoken words should concern every American.
Here are examples. Before the 2024 election, Trump in a rambling speech told supporters that if they voted for him, they wouldn’t need to ever vote again in the future “because in four more years, the election would be fixed.” Fixed by what means, by whom? A third term? What could that mean, if not what the wording indicates?
Last month, he told military leaders to prepare for war against an “enemy from within.” Just what enemy is on his mind?
Also in September, Trump stated, “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.” Hate your opponent? Are these attitudes that you want your children to hear and mimic? Do you believe these words foster healthy political compromises?
Trump’s now common phrase “radical left lunatics” is hate speech itself. Am I a “radical left lunatic” for writing this opinion piece? We’ve almost gotten used to the phrase “fake news”; and more than once I’ve heard from him, describing liberal news outlets as “the enemy of the people.” Really?
Trump is defining his political opponents as evil, and he is desensitizing the American public to hate speech. Google “antidemocratic phrases used by Trump” and see for yourself the many examples.
Keeping in mind that Trump masterminded the January 6 insurrection attempt, telling the crowd to “go and fight like hell,” I can easily envision his plans to use the military to suppress free speech and assembly when he begins his next takeover attempt.
We all need to pay close attention; this is not the American government like any you or I have seen before. FRED FEVRIER Walkers Creek
