Former President Donald Trump continues to rise in public support despite ongoing legal challenges, while a hostile mainstream media increasingly unsettles voters with the prospect of a Republican win in November.
Trump, who has disputed losses in the last election to Democratic rival Joe Biden, faces new accusations that he attempted to influence the vote and encouraged his supporters to assault the Capitol.
Yet these claims show little sign of swaying his base, which remains steadfast and views the media as biased against him, painting Biden and the Democratic Party as puppets of a liberal press that cannot be trusted.
Some observers accuse Democrats of shielding Biden and concealing alleged corruption involving Hunter Biden, which Republicans say could implicate the president himself, alleging the Justice Department and even the FBI are being used as tools in a political struggle.
Regardless, major national outlets, especially the leading networks, paint a dire forecast if Trump returns to power, suggesting a White House that would rewrite the rules of governance and escalate tensions across the country.
They warn of a vindictive streak, the possibility of placing the military on the streets, leveraging the Pentagon to advance a political agenda, and risk of transforming the United States into a de facto dictatorship under his leadership.
A dictatorship would, critics argue, not end after a single four-year term but could stretch indefinitely, depriving Americans of future votes for an extended period, as some fear.
There is even talk of a military coup to prevent the commander-in-chief from acting outside constitutional bounds, a scenario some analysts say would amount to a coup against the state itself.
Trump supporters, who mainly engage with alternative media outlets, argue that the charges against him are preemption of actions Biden is already taking, including the perceived weaponization of the Justice Department against a political rival.
The political divide in the United States grows sharper, and there is concern that whichever candidate wins the presidency, the losing side may not accept the outcome, mirroring past disputes over election results.
NBC has recently highlighted how influential networks warn about the consequences of a Trump victory, suggesting steps to curb the commander-in-chief’s access to military power that would resemble a coup in practical effect.
There are undeniably troubling aspects of Trump, including criticisms of authoritarian tendencies, xenophobia, skepticism toward international institutions, and a strong emphasis on a hard stance toward China and Iran, aligned in part with Biden on some points.
Yet some observers note that Europe might not be dragged into a new conflict with Russia, which they see as a positive if limited takeaway.