As the election draws near, the Editorial Board of the New York Times has issued a striking warning to American voters regarding former President Donald Trump’s campaign promises. Utilizing Trump’s own words, the board underscores what they describe as “disturbing” pledges the Republican presidential nominee has made should he reclaim the presidency.
In an article published on October 25, 2024, the Editorial Board, known for its longstanding opposition to Trump, declared a final appeal to sway public opinion just days before the polls open. Their message was clear and alarming: “Believe him.”
The piece highlighted Trump’s extensive declarations about the potential actions he might take if elected. “Donald Trump has described at length the dangerous and disturbing actions he says he will take if he wins the presidency,” they wrote. “…Americans should believe him.”
To reinforce their message, the board provided a series of alarming promises directly quoted from Trump, each punctuated with the emphatic directive: “BELIEVE HIM.” These promises include:
- Trump says he will use the Justice Department to punish people he doesn’t like. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will round up and deport millions of immigrants. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will deploy the American military against U.S. citizens. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will allow vigilante violence to end crime. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will order the military to strike foreign civilian targets if the United States is attacked. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will punish blue states by withholding disaster relief. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will use ideological tests to decide which public schools get federal money. BELIEVE HIM.
- Trump says he will abandon U.S. allies. BELIEVE HIM.
The Editorial Board elaborated, stating, “His rallies offer a steady stream of such promises and threats.” They emphasized that while many might dismiss Trump’s statements as empty rhetoric, the gravity of the situation demands serious consideration.
“Many find [these statements] hard to regard as anything but empty bluster,” the board noted. “We have two words for American voters: Believe him.”
The board urged voters to contemplate the implications of Trump’s proposed actions, warning that his plans could fundamentally alter the fabric of American democracy. “Americans would be wise to see this language as a genuine threat,” they stated. “We should take the painful step of imagining America were his plans and promises to come to pass, to imagine the impacts to our culture, to our economy, to our security, to our shared commitment to the rule of law.”
