Former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on the third anniversary of the Capitol riot that former President Trump is a “threat to democracy.”
“And yes, I think he's a big believer in democracy, democracy as we know it, our institutions, our political culture, and everything that made America great and defined us as the oldest democracy on earth.” I think it's a threat to what's going on.” Esper told CNN's Jim Acosta on Saturday.
Esper, who served as secretary of the Army and then secretary of defense under Trump, called January 6 a “tragic day in our nation's history.”
Esper is concerned that Trump could use the military to maintain power after the 2020 presidential election, and if Trump is re-elected, there could be potential protests at the 2025 inauguration. He said he believed there was a possibility of using military force against the participants.
In that case, the former defense secretary said, state governors, especially fans of President Trump, could lend out their National Guard troops. He also added that if that doesn't happen, Trump could invoke the Insurrection Act, which gives the president the power to deploy the military to quell protests and domestic violence.
Trump aides reportedly urged the former president to pass the law amid Black Lives Matter protests and civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. He is said to have drafted an order authorizing its activation.
Esper was fired by Trump in November 2020, shortly after the election, after months of rocky relations since the summer's nationwide protests.
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