For Donald Trump, every day is Festivus, the fictional day for airing grievances popularized on “Seinfeld.” So why should Election Day be any different?
After casting his ballot Tuesday, Trump let the complaints fly in a brief session with reporters.
Asked about Oprah Winfrey’s warning that he poses an existential threat to democracy, the former president responded by bashing the media mogul, whom he claims once requested to be his veep.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Trump, alongside his wife, Melania. “Oprah, I was on one of her last show or one of her last shows and they pick the biggest people and all of that and made a big deal and actually, I’m disappointed. I think Oprah has become a major divider in our country, and I think, frankly, she should be ashamed of herself.”
But Winfrey wasn’t the only one who had disappointed the Republican nominee. His once-favorite network has gone rogue, he said, daring to include critics of his candidacy in its coverage. Don’t they know anything about propaganda?
“You know who else should be ashamed? Fox,” Trump said. “Because I’ve seen Oprah on Fox about 50 times making the same statement, and I think it’s a disgrace what Fox does.”
“Everyone thinks Fox is so pro-Trump,” he continued. “They aren’t pro-Trump at all. They’ve have put Oprah on all morning long.”
Speaking of Winfrey …
“She has been to Mar-a-Lago many times,” Trump fumed. “Roger King had his funeral. The head of King World, Winfrey’s mentor. She said Mar-a-Lago is the most beautiful place, could we have Roger’s funeral at Mar-a-Lago in the ballroom? We did it.”
Roger King owned King World, which syndicated Winfrey’s long-running daily talk show. And, yes, his funeral was held at Mar-a-Lago 17 years ago.
Trump never forgets.
Winfrey, speaking Monday at Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ final campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was resolute about the threat Trump poses, saying America stands on the “precipice of danger” and warning that Trump’s authoritarian impulses should not be ignored.
“If we don’t show up tomorrow, it is entirely possible that we will not have the opportunity to cast a ballot again,” she said. “And let me be very clear: if you do not make sure that the people in your life can get to the polls, that is a mistake. Deciding not to decide, that is most definitely a vote to let other people control your future.”
On the campaign trail, the former president has mused openly about being a “day one dictator,” called for the deployment of the military to handle “radical left lunatics,” and labeled his political opponents as the “enemy from within,” demanding they be imprisoned.
In late July, Trump told an audience of Christian supporters that if they “get out and vote, just this time … you won’t have to do it anymore.” Trump was declared the winner early Wednesday morning and reelected for a second term as the country’s president.
Last week, the billionaire businessman’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, finally broke his silence, telling New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt his former boss “falls into the general definition of fascist.”
“Well, looking at the definition of fascism: It’s a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy,” Kelly said. “So certainly, in my experience, those are the kinds of things that he thinks would work better in terms of running America … Certainly the former president is in the far-right area, he’s certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators — he has said that.”
Harris has echoed the retired Marine general’s remarks, calling her opponent a “wannabe dictator” and a “petty tyrant.”
“All the anxiety and fear you are feeling, you’re feeling that because you sense the danger,” Winfrey said. “And you change that with your vote.”
Elon Musk, who has emerged as Trump’s most enthusiastic celebrity supporter, sounded a similar warning Monday during an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan.
“If Trump doesn’t win, this is the last election,” Musk said.
“I think you’re right,” Rogan agreed. “I think a lot of people are waking up and realize – that have been lifelong Democrats … like, I can’t do this anymore.”
On Tuesday, Musk shared a photo of himself after voting in Cameron County, Texas, where some of his companies are based, before flying to Florida to party with Trump. Later that night, he posted on X, “Game, set and match.”
The campaign was buzzing with confidence as supporters gathered at Trump’s Palm Beach headquarters to watch the results roll in. At one point, the crowd even broke into a dance to “YMCA.”
Musk posted photos of him and Trump conversing at the party while CNN’s election coverage played in the background. He later posted a meme of him juxtaposed in the White House with the caption, “Let That Sink In.”
According to NBC News, Musk could gain millions from government contracts with Trump’s election. Trump also promised to appoint Musk head of a “government efficiency commission,” which he plans to create when he takes office.
The president-elect declared Musk a “star” during his victory speech early on Wednesday morning.
“He’s a super genius. We have to protect our geniuses. We don’t have that many of them. We have to protect our super geniuses,” Trump said.
