Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Mr. Sparkle

(3,720 posts)
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 02:41 PM Sep 2025

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
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump's second presidency is 'most dangerous period' since second world war, Mitch McConnell says (Original Post) Mr. Sparkle Sep 2025 OP
Moscow Mitch can UpInArms Sep 2025 #1
The Kentucky Chain Saw Massacre. Starring Moscow Mitch, costars are on the Epstein list. twodogsbarking Sep 2025 #4
Mitch could have pulled the switch when he was 45th. forgotmylogin Sep 2025 #13
And his legacy will forever be having helped Trump bring it. JI7 Sep 2025 #2
Mitch's ring in hell will be right above Trump's, maybe below. IT is stupid, Mitch is not but he LoisB Sep 2025 #3
McConnell is more evil than the Trump, because he enabled him, even though he knew better. Fil1957 Sep 2025 #5
I know its hard to fathom, but he's not more evil maxsolomon Sep 2025 #12
Says the man responsible for preventing Trump's removal from office. Twice. Martin68 Sep 2025 #6
The number of times I've ever agreed with McConnell PatSeg Sep 2025 #7
Thanks to you, Moscow Mitch. Kid Berwyn Sep 2025 #8
I think the danger to America is greater with Trump than WW2 was ...nt Jarqui Sep 2025 #9
Maybe. markodochartaigh Sep 2025 #28
It wasn't that easy Jarqui Sep 2025 #39
I agree with most of what you said. markodochartaigh Sep 2025 #40
Sure Jarqui Sep 2025 #42
Kiss my a** Mitch! no_hypocrisy Sep 2025 #10
FU Moscow Mitch IzzaNuDay Sep 2025 #11
Doctor tell him he only has 48 hours to live? Bengus81 Sep 2025 #14
That is my suspicion as well. hamsterjill Sep 2025 #34
He did this. He can't erase the stain. Oneironaut Sep 2025 #15
Fuck you where you breathe, McConnell. Paladin Sep 2025 #16
What a MISERABLE USELESS FUCK Blue Owl Sep 2025 #17
Moscow Mitch has really done his part... Old Testament Libera Sep 2025 #18
McConnell facilitated this! maspaha Sep 2025 #19
You made it all possible, Mitch Botany Sep 2025 #20
Mitch admits his treason... kevinore Sep 2025 #21
Eat a bag of rotting dicks nt róisín_dubh Sep 2025 #22
But will Mitch go on a speaking tour? KS Toronado Sep 2025 #23
Hypocritical mea culpas as you approach the end of your thoroughly disreputable career will not absolve you, Mitch. sop Sep 2025 #24
You contributed to this, Mitch Half-step Sep 2025 #25
Says the man single-handedly responsible for ushering it in LearnedHand Sep 2025 #26
Well todays senate could stop in ONE FUCKING bluestarone Sep 2025 #27
The GOP could cooperate with impeachment and our national nightmare would travelingthrulife Sep 2025 #43
Exactly! that's what i was refering to. bluestarone Sep 2025 #44
Supreme Court Keepthesoulalive Sep 2025 #29
Another "nobody could have anticipated..." moment in American politics. Midnight Writer Sep 2025 #30
Does he not have any allies that he could convince to stand up to trump IcyPeas Sep 2025 #31
McConnell had the opportunity The Wizard Sep 2025 #32
Hey Asshole Sober Retiree Sep 2025 #33
I would pay drmeow Sep 2025 #35
Mr. Yuk is Mitch eringer Sep 2025 #36
McConnell you were his yes man for quite some time. republianmushroom Sep 2025 #37
Fuck off turtle. Javaman Sep 2025 #38
Mitch McConnel says today. tomorrow meek as a lamb after taco calls him and Captain Zero Sep 2025 #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 2025 #45

forgotmylogin

(7,961 posts)
13. Mitch could have pulled the switch when he was 45th.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:28 PM
Sep 2025

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

(13,136 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 2025

miscalculated his ability to control IT.

maxsolomon

(38,912 posts)
12. I know its hard to fathom, but he's not more evil
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:11 PM
Sep 2025

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

(53,245 posts)
7. The number of times I've ever agreed with McConnell
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 03:25 PM
Sep 2025
ONE!

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

markodochartaigh

(5,545 posts)
28. Maybe.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:55 PM
Sep 2025

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

(10,920 posts)
39. It wasn't that easy
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 09:51 PM
Sep 2025

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

(5,545 posts)
40. I agree with most of what you said.
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 12:58 AM
Sep 2025

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

(10,920 posts)
42. Sure
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 09:27 AM
Sep 2025

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

(17,663 posts)
34. That is my suspicion as well.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 07:24 PM
Sep 2025

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

Oneironaut

(6,307 posts)
15. He did this. He can't erase the stain.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:53 PM
Sep 2025

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

 

Paladin

(32,354 posts)
16. Fuck you where you breathe, McConnell.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:57 PM
Sep 2025

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

(59,318 posts)
17. What a MISERABLE USELESS FUCK
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:59 PM
Sep 2025

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 2025

...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

(77,546 posts)
20. You made it all possible, Mitch
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:12 PM
Sep 2025

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

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


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

(23,730 posts)
23. But will Mitch go on a speaking tour?
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:31 PM
Sep 2025

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

sop

(18,886 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 2025

Half-step

(134 posts)
25. You contributed to this, Mitch
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:34 PM
Sep 2025

The least you could do is own your part of this horrible timeline.

LearnedHand

(5,531 posts)
26. Says the man single-handedly responsible for ushering it in
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:35 PM
Sep 2025

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

bluestarone

(22,310 posts)
27. Well todays senate could stop in ONE FUCKING
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:53 PM
Sep 2025

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

travelingthrulife

(5,355 posts)
43. The GOP could cooperate with impeachment and our national nightmare would
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 11:05 AM
Sep 2025

be partially over.

We could be rid of him in days.

bluestarone

(22,310 posts)
44. Exactly! that's what i was refering to.
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 11:33 AM
Sep 2025

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

(2,327 posts)
29. Supreme Court
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 05:56 PM
Sep 2025

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

(25,549 posts)
30. Another "nobody could have anticipated..." moment in American politics.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:02 PM
Sep 2025

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

(25,602 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 2025

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

(13,793 posts)
32. McConnell had the opportunity
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:46 PM
Sep 2025

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

Javaman

(65,871 posts)
38. Fuck off turtle.
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 08:15 PM
Sep 2025

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

So just shut the fuck up

Captain Zero

(8,934 posts)
41. Mitch McConnel says today. tomorrow meek as a lamb after taco calls him and
Fri Sep 5, 2025, 06:13 AM
Sep 2025

chews on his wrinkly ass some more.

LudwigPastorius

(14,839 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 2025

circling the drain.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Trump's second presidency...