Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and current co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” raised alarm bells about ex-President Donald Trump during a 2024 October appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
Joining him on the show was billionaire Mark Cuban, and both expressed unease about Trump’s recent comments concerning possible actions against political rivals.
On the Friday night episode, Scarborough implored Republican voters to focus on Trump’s own pronouncements. “I don’t want people to listen to me, I don’t want them to listen to you, I don’t want them to listen to anybody,” Scarborough said. “I want them to listen to what Donald Trump says.”
Scarborough proceeded to enumerate specific statements attributed to Trump. The MSNBC co-host maintained that Trump recently announced plans to use military and National Guard forces to detain political adversaries. When asked about this stance, Trump reiterated his position.
Scarborough also cited other contentious comments credited to the former president, such as a declaration about wishing to execute the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for perceived disloyalty, as well as a remark to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly expressing a desire for his generals to emulate those who served under Hitler.
As Scarborough’s expression became increasingly fervent, Mark Cuban, recognized for his role on “Shark Tank” and the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, interjected with a popular culture comparison, likening the situation to the newest season of “The Sopranos,” which incited laughter from the audience.
Bill Maher, the host of the show, pondered whether Trump could have really imprisoned Hillary Clinton, as he had previously implied. In retort, Scarborough addressed a prevalent defense of Trump’s comments, observing that some individuals initially reject the claim that Trump made such statements, only to belittle the gravity of the remarks even after being presented with evidence. Scarborough stressed that Trump’s words should be interpreted literally.
Maher pointed out that the individuals defending Trump frequently accuse his detractors of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.” In rebuttal, Maher declared, “I would just like to say to my Republican friends that it’s not deranged to fear this, it’s not deranged to find this alarming.”
Scarborough underscored that these were not conjectural allegations about Trump’s intentions. “We’re not saying this,” he claimed. “We’re not guessing what he’s going to do. He’s saying this is what I’m going to do.” The MSNBC co-host then mentioned more purported threats, including potential military courts for former Representative Liz Cheney and arrests of MSNBC producers.
Mark Cuban interjected again, criticizing Elon Musk for remaining silent about Trump’s alleged threats to suppress media outlets. Cuban pointed out the contradiction, as Musk frequently advocates for free speech, particularly on X, but remains silent when Trump discusses shutting down networks like CBS. Cuban expressed his confusion, questioning why someone who purports to support open discourse would stay silent when press freedom is at stake.
The debate on “Real Time with Bill Maher” underscored continuing apprehensions about political rhetoric and its potential impact on American democracy. As the 2024 election nears, these issues are expected to stay prominent in political discussions.