Senator-elect Adam Schiff has criticized President-elect Trump, accusing him of using language typical of a “dictator” despite growing concerns over whether the next administration will seek vengeance against those Trump considers his adversaries, including Schiff himself.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Schiff responded to host Kristen Welker’s question about Trump’s recent comments, where the president-elect called him a lunatic, labeled him the “enemy from within,” and even suggested he posed a greater threat than China and Russia.
Senator-elect Schiff warns that Trump’s language could harm the American people’s future
Schiff described Trump’s words as “dictator talk,” emphasizing that such rhetoric is common among autocrats. “They want to make their political opposition the enemy,” he added, as reported by Mediaite. As a member of the House, Schiff has found himself on Trump’s list of political foes, particularly due to his role in the president’s first impeachment trial.
With Trump’s second term looking less constrained by the checks of a divided Congress, Schiff remains wary of retribution, especially with Trump’s loyalists being nominated to his Cabinet and a recent Supreme Court ruling granting the president criminal immunity for actions taken while in office.
Despite Trump’s repeated threats, Schiff has asserted that he is not intimidated. “Look, I’m not concerned about myself. I’m going to do my job. I’m not going to have his threats intimidate me from doing so,” Schiff affirmed. He also expressed unease about Trump’s relationships with authoritarian leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“Anytime you have someone, particularly someone who is going to become president of the United States, fawning over dictators, emulating their language, attacking the press, undermining our institutions, yeah, we should be concerned about it,” Schiff warned. “Because at the end of the day, it means that the American people will suffer.”
