Veteran Political Scientist Shares Major Fear Over ‘Most Destructive’ Election Ever

Longtime political scientist Norman Ornstein on Wednesday explained why he believes the 2024 election is likely to go down as “the most significant and most destructive” in America’s history.
The United States has previously chosen “bad” and “incompetent” presidents, Ornstein acknowledged to Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan.
But, reflecting on Donald Trump’s victory, Ornstein pointed out that, prior to this, “we have not elected a president who has made clear during the campaign that he will be a dictator on day one and will destroy or shred the Constitution to whatever degree he feels it is necessary.”
“Even worse,” continued the emeritus scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank, are Trump’s “enablers around him from the Supreme Court through the other institutions.”
Don’t let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America’s future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down.
Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can’t do it without you.
Can’t afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
He added, “My fear is not just Donald Trump. It is that the guardrails we have built up over two and a half centuries are not going to hold.”
Later, Ornstein expressed his concerns that normal restraints on Trump just don’t exist. “Maybe the worst won’t happen,” he warned, “but it’s going to be damn close.”
Watch the full interview here: