Every election Democrats, and their media allies, have called the Republicans “fascist” or “Hitler,” but no candidate before Kamala Harris ever made it their closing message.
Now, having suffered an embarrassing defeat, Democrats have begun adopting a more conciliatory tone toward President-elect Donald Trump, marking a notable shift from years of harsh critiques. Once derided by many as a “dangerous fascist” and “wannabe dictator,” Trump is now being approached by key Democratic leaders and officials with an openness to collaboration on shared priorities. This pivot has raised questions about its motivations, whether pragmatic or politically expedient.
Or maybe it shows that Democrats will say anything to try and win an election, even when they don’t believe it.
The Washington Examiner noted that House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), for example, expressed interest in “working with the incoming administration whenever and wherever possible to find bipartisan common ground to solve problems for the American people.”
Jeffries previously called Trump “a pro-Putin conspiracy-peddling, election-denying extremist” who “lies for a living.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants to work with Trump on implementing caps on credit card interest rates, something the self-professed “Democratic socialist” has called “a very good idea.”
Sanders has called Trump a “threat to democracy” and a “pathological liar,” with “strong authoritarian tendencies.”
Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) compared Trump to Nazi leaders during his first administration. Now, he has promised to “aggressively” work together to find common ground on several issues, including completing the Portal North Bridge Project.
Progressive voices in media and business are also weighing in with proposals that align with Trump’s agenda. Leftwing commentator Cenk Uygur has advocated for barring retired military generals from joining defense contractors, a measure aimed at reducing Pentagon waste. Though Uygur maintains a deep personal dislike for Trump, he has publicly promoted this idea, drawing attention from Trump’s allies. Similarly, billionaire Mark Cuban, a long-time Trump critic, has called on the administration to prioritize overturning Citizens United to enhance political transparency.
Uygur isn’ alone. “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski revealed on Monday, with no shortage of theatrics, that they visited Mar-a-Lago last week to meet with President-elect Donald Trump in an effort to mend fences. However, the announcement sparked a day of uncomfortable backlash.
Privately, Scarborough defended the meeting, insisting that securing face time with a world leader was an obvious move. While some of his MSNBC colleagues shared his view, the Mar-a-Lago visit seemed to carry deeper implications.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika went to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and agreed to “reset” their relationship.
Once again… Democrats never actually thought Trump was Hitler or a fascist dictator.
If you were propagandized, it’s ok.
You got played.pic.twitter.com/Y7WnIWPbI6— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) November 18, 2024
The rapid shift in tone has sparked debate over its underlying motivations. While some Democrats frame their outreach as a practical effort to deliver tangible results for constituents, skeptics within the party view it as calculated political maneuvering ahead of future elections. Regardless of intent, the emerging strategy highlights a willingness to engage has revealed what everyone knows but some are afraid to say: Washington belongs to Trump now.
