“When Trump stops calling the media the ‘enemy of the people,’ it will only signal that Trump feels the media is obedient”—Marc Elias Warns of Trump’s Continuing Threat to Democracy

In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election, a stark contrast emerged between Donald Trump’s actions and his previous behavior four years earlier. After the election results, Trump met with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, both calling for a smooth transition to the next administration.

This civil exchange was in sharp contrast to the 2020 election, where Trump made threats against the media and election officials, eventually leading to a violent insurrection in an unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite the seemingly normal election year in 2024, attorney Marc Elias warned that the situation remains far from typical. In a Thursday opinion piece on Democracy Docket, Elias expressed his concern that Trump’s previous attacks on the electoral system are now being extended to other institutions of democracy.

“Before the election, there was near universal agreement among election officials, democracy advocates and the media that Trump would repeat his attacks on the electoral system in 2024 if he lost,” Elias wrote. “Many predicted that it would be worse than it was in 2020. We will never know how bad it would have been, only because he won.”

Trump’s behavior, according to Elias, follows a predictable pattern where he relentlessly targets his political opponents until they relent, often resulting in public praise for Trump. This has been seen with journalists, media executives, and world leaders. “The trap for Democrats and pro-democracy advocates is to believe that he has changed, that his failure to attack our elections proves anything other than he is satisfied with the results,” Elias warned.

Elias further explained that when Trump ceases attacking the media, calling them the “enemy of the people,” it’s likely because he sees the media as compliant. Similarly, if he begins praising opposition figures or politicians, it means they no longer pose a threat to him.

Looking forward, Elias predicted that Trump will soon implement his agenda, which he believes will align with the goals outlined in Project 2025. Trump will also continue to spread falsehoods about the 2020 election and likely vilify and threaten those who challenge him. “That is how we know we are doing the right thing. That we are effective,” Elias wrote. “It is the day that Trump praises us that we should worry and ask what we have done to capitulate.”