In a recent interview on “PBS Newshour,” former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delved into a range of topics, called Trump’s following “cult-like,” and talked about the “traumatic” 2016 election defeat.
Clinton opened by throwing her support behind President Biden, lauding his alleged job creation initiatives and growth-focused policies.
Hillary Clinton calls for reeducation camps:
"MAGA extremists take their marching orders from Donald Trump who has no credibility left… When do they break with him? Because at some point maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members"
A line was just… pic.twitter.com/GvCU4Epkzb
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 6, 2023
However, she voiced her concerns about the 2024 Republican presidential primary, where former President Trump is leading in the polls. Clinton described this as a “very sad commentary” and expressed her dismay over the deep emotional and psychological connection many people maintain with Trump, likening it to cult-like devotion.
Hillary Clinton on Trump supporters: “At some point maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members.”
— ALX 🎃 (@alx) October 6, 2023
She cited Trump’s manipulation of social media and certain mainstream outlets as factors reinforcing this bond and predicted a challenging road ahead for Republican candidates opposing him. Clinton underscored the urgency of defeating Trump and securing Biden’s reelection.
The interview also revisited Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” remark during her 2016 campaign, where she labeled them as “racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic.” Clinton conceded her misstep, offering an apology for her “grossly generalistic” statement.
As the conversation shifted to her emotional state following the 2016 loss, Clinton stated that she suffered from trauma due to that election. She assured the interviewer that she was personally doing well, appreciating the question as it is one she frequently hears.
Throughout the interview, Clinton cited various reasons for her 2016 loss, including debunked Russian interference and sexism.
