“The View” co-host Ana Navarro stated that while she believes former President Donald Trump would like to be a dictator, she does not agree that the United States has already lost its democracy under his influence, pushing back against claims made by Hunter Biden on her podcast.
During a recent episode of "Bleep! with Ana Navarro," Biden asserted that Trump is "already" a dictator and that the U.S. has lost its democracy regardless of election outcomes. Biden cited Trump's actions, including the confirmation of his personal attorney as attorney general, alleged attempts to jail journalists, and a dismissive remark made to a female reporter on Air Force One, as evidence.
Navarro, who has previously fled dictatorship in Nicaragua, expressed a nuanced view. "I fled dictatorship," she said, referencing her experience in 1980. "I think he definitely would like to be a dictator and have no guardrails, have no pushback. I still have some hope in some of the courts. And I think we still have elections. And despite the fact that there's threats against the free press, we still do have the free press."
Navarro contrasted her current stance with past public statements where she drew parallels between Trump's actions and those of communist dictators. In a 2024 speech at the Democratic National Convention, she compared Trump to leaders like Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, the Castros of Cuba, and Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, citing their tactics of attacking the free press, installing unqualified relatives in government, and refusing to accept election results.
As recently as May, Navarro referred to Trump as a "wannabe dictator" or having "small dictator energy" following the installation of a golden statue of him at a Trump National Doral golf course. However, on her podcast, she distinguished between Trump's potential desires and the current state of American democracy, emphasizing the existence of remaining democratic institutions.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle dismissed Biden's claims, stating, "Just like sleepy Joe, Hunter Biden’s brains are fried potatoes. We wish him and his family well during this difficult time."