MSNBC host Joe Scarborough stirred the pot on Wednesday with a bold claim: anyone who truly supports “American capitalism” should be concerned about the potential for an “imperial presidency” if Donald Trump is re-elected. Scarborough, who once identified as a Republican, leaned on his conservative background to argue that Trump poses a greater threat to smaller government and free market capitalism than Vice President Kamala Harris.
Scarborough kicked off his critique by referencing a recent argument from an economic reporter that urged people to focus less on the January 6th insurrection and more on tax code and regulations. Scarborough latched onto that, saying, “If you are a capitalist… you should be worried about Donald Trump being elected.”
MSNBC’s @JoeNBC: “If you are a capitalist, if you believe in American capitalism,” you must support @KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/fqKK7R7GgJ
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 4, 2024
He claimed to be a staunch believer in American capitalism, touting its success in lifting people out of poverty. But according to Scarborough, a second Trump presidency would undermine that very system.
His argument? Trump, despite cutting regulations and reducing government power during his first term, would somehow morph into a strongman leader, picking economic winners and losers. This, Scarborough insisted, would lead to the collapse of competition and a devastating blow to free market capitalism.
Scarborough painted a grim picture, drawing parallels to corrupt nations run by autocrats who control the economy, claiming that Trump’s return to the White House would signal the end of free market principles.
“That’s when the invisible hand is slapped by the autocrat running the state. And that’s when capitalism loses,” he warned.
Yet, Scarborough conveniently skipped over the heavy-handed government intervention championed by Democrats, such as attempts to ban gas stoves or push a radical shift to electric vehicles. While he sounded the alarm over Trump’s supposed future authoritarianism, he ignored current Democratic policies that impose strict government controls over industries.
Scarborough’s commentary reflects a growing narrative from the left—one that tries to redefine Trump as an authoritarian figure who threatens America’s core economic principles. But it’s a stretch to suggest that the president who spent much of his time in office slashing regulations is somehow on the verge of becoming an autocrat.
