Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned Friday that President Trump is helping fascist governments thrive around the world through his failure to be a global leader for democracy.
“If freedom is to prevail over the many challenges to it, American leadership is urgently required,” Albright wrote in the New York Times. “This was among the indelible lessons of the 20th century.”
“But by what he has said, done and failed to do, Mr. Trump has steadily diminished America’s positive clout in global councils,” she said.
At home, Albright said Trump has “mocked” international agreements, attacked the U.S. judiciary, “condoned police brutality,” and “vilifies federal law enforcement institutions.”
His relations with other nations are no better, she argued.
“Instead of engaging in creative diplomacy, he has insulted United States neighbors and allies, walked away from key international agreements, mocked multilateral organizations and stripped the State Department of its resources and role,” she wrote. She added that Trump “appears to like bullies” overseas, and said all of these factors together could create a new wave of fascism around the globe.
“If one were to draft a script chronicling fascism’s resurrection, the abdication of America’s moral leadership would make a credible first scene,” she said.
Albright’s proposed solutions to the problem all seemed aimed at ousting Trump. She suggested that people “defend the truth,” and enforce the idea that “no one, not even the president, is above the law.”
She suggested that Trump’s opponents help register new voters.
