Trump delivered his 'most foreboding vision yet' during weekend rally: analysis

CNN analyst Stephen Collinson has written an alarming new column outlining just how far former President Donald Trump intends to take things should he win a second term.

In particular, Collinson picked up on the apocalyptic rhetoric that Trump deployed during a weekend rally in South Dakota in which he declared, "I don’t think there’s ever been a darkness around our nation like there is now" – despite the fact that America in the past has gone through a literal civil war.

In fact, Collinson expects that Trump would run roughshod over the Constitution should voters give him a second chance.

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?

"The Republican front-runner’s stark speech raised the prospect of a second presidency that would be even more extreme and challenging to the rule of law than his first," he argues. "His view that the Oval Office confers unfettered powers suggests Trump would indulge in similar conduct as that for which he is awaiting trial, including intimidating local officials in an alleged bid to overturn his 2020 defeat."

Collinson then took a shot at media commentators who caution against overly alarmist coverage of the four-time indicted former president, and he argued that Trump's actions as outlined in his indictments should put that particular talking point to rest.

"He frequently argued as president that he had all but unfettered constitutional power, which is an attitude that is clearly in evidence in three of his indictments – over attempts to overthrow the election and over his hoarding of classified documents after leaving the White House," he concludes.

"So, when Trump issues threats on the campaign trail, it’s worth listening."