Cited in: The Cruelty Engine
Tells Hannity he would be 'dictator' on 'day one' to close border and drill
At a Fox News town hall in Iowa, Sean Hannity asked Trump to promise he would not abuse power or seek retribution if re-elected. Instead of reassuring voters, Trump said 'I want to be a dictator' on 'day one' to 'close the border' and 'drill, drill, drill.' When Hannity pressed him to clarify, Trump repeated: 'After that I'm not a dictator.' The exchange alarmed democracy advocates who noted that aspiring authoritarians often use 'temporary' justifications to seize power.
“He says 'You're not going to be a dictator, are you?' I said: 'No, no, no, other than day one. We're closing the border, and we're drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I'm not a dictator.'” — Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity, Iowa, December 5, 2023 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentary research 2025-12-14
Hannity's question was designed to give Trump an easy opportunity to reassure voters. Instead, Trump chose to embrace the 'dictator' label, signaling that authoritarian rhetoric was now core to his campaign message rather than something to walk back.