Donald Trump and Richard Nixon (Composition / RawStory)
President Donald Trump's latest attacks on a law-enshrined American institution has once again garnered him comparisons to President Richard Nixon.
"We have seen this before," Presidential historian Tim Naftali said on a Tuesday night CNN panel about Trump's tweet slamming the "Deep State Justice Department."
"Richard Nixon didn't use the word 'deep state,' but when the CIA refused to help him cover up, he began to spread myths that the CIA was undermining his administration," the historian continued. "There are some Americans who believe that Richard Nixon was railroaded, and many of them believe a myth that the CIA brought him down. That's a product of the willfulness of a man with authoritarian instincts who wants to misuse government agencies."
"My concern," Naftali continued, "is that the use of the 'deep state' term is a way of getting a pass. our president wants to be able to do what he wants with these institutions if they don't follow him, he's going to say they're not responsive and they're part of the 'deep state.'"
Watch below, via CNN:
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