A CNN reporter characterized supporters of former President Donald Trump describing the United States of America as a republic as “an attack on democracy” during a segment that aired Sunday.
Multiple Trump supporters told CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan that the U.S. was not a “democracy” in man-on-the-street interviews during the segment, instead describing it as a republic. O’Sullivan attempted to disprove their description in an interview with historian Anne Applebaum.
“America is a democracy. It was founded as a democracy,” Applebaum claimed after O’Sullivan asked her if the U.S. was a democracy.
Read: Trump Suggests Old-School Tariffs Could Replace Income Tax As Prime Source Of Federal Revenue
“I’ve heard a lot of conspiracy theories. I hear a lot of things out on the road, but to hear Americans, people who would describe themselves as patriots, say that America is not a democracy, that stopped me in my tracks,” O’Sullivan told Applebaum.
Applebaum blamed Trump for the denials that the United States is a democracy.
“You are hearing people say America is not a democracy because there are people around Trump who want them to be saying that, who’ve been planting that narrative,” Applebaum claimed.
Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution guarantees states a “republican” form of government, and historical records and documents show Founders like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton expressing skepticism about democracy.
“Honestly, the word ‘democracy’ and the word ‘republic’ have often been used interchangeably,” Applebaum claimed. “There isn’t a meaningful difference between them.”
Read: Officials In California Take Down No ‘U-Turn’ Signs Because Of Alleged Homophobia
“If they can convince people that we don’t have a democracy, then it’s okay that Trump is attacking democracy, because it doesn’t really matter,” Applebaum added.
James Madison outlined differences between pure democracies and a republic in The Federalist Number 10.
“There is, of course, a legitimate debate discussion to be had on what form of democracy we have here in the United States, direct democracy, representative democracy, in fact, constitutional republic, which you heard people mentioned in that piece, that is a form of democracy. But look, this is not actually a debate about government, about democracy, it’s an attack on democracy,” O’Sullivan told CNN host Omar Jimenez. “People have heard the warnings that Trump is a danger to democracy, and therefore you have people trying to convince others that, well, the United States isn’t a democracy in the first place, and therefore Trump can’t be a threat.”
First published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.