"If Trump's reelected, I'm leaving. I'm leaving the United States. Why? Because I don't feel safe," said Tony Schwartz, the co-author of The Art of the Deal and an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, during his appearance on last night's episode of MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber.
In five minutes, Schwartz delivered an ominous warning about the potential consequences if Donald Trump were to be re-elected in 2024. Having had a close working relationship with Trump in the past, Schwartz described him as "immensely dangerous" and a clear threat to American democracy.
Schwartz told Melber that Trump has consistently demonstrated authoritarian tendencies, creating a reality based on his personal whims and utter disregard for the truth. His presidency, according to Schwartz, was marked by a continuous departure from democratic norms and an inclination towards authoritarian rule.
Schwartz expressed fear that, if re-elected, Trump would pursue an unchecked campaign of revenge against everyone who has criticized him.
"I see him as immensely dangerous because he will be much freer to pursue his personal agenda if he's reelected. And there is no question about what that agenda is now: to be an authoritarian leader, to have complete control, as we learned this morning, to deport people, and to create detention camps. And I really believe that, though I'm not a number one or number ten enemy on his list, I'm somewhere in there. And I have made the decision, which I've shared with my friends, that if Trump's reelected, I'm leaving the United States. Why? Because I don't feel safe. And anybody who doesn't believe that they are less safe—and that includes the right, because authoritarian leaders don't always discriminate—is living a fantasy. Trump is going to do what he says."
Melber then asked, "You believe in a second term he would use the government against writers, dissidents, political opposition, people like yourself?"
"There is absolutely no question he would," Schwartz replied. "And someone like you is also at risk. I would say anybody in the media who's talked about him in any way that he finds the slightest bit offensive—and he finds all of MSNBC offensive—is at risk."
See also: In 2016 the "Art of the Deal" co-author predicted Trump would blame election fraud if he lost
