MSNBC morning host Joe Scarborough compared President Donald Trump to an autocratic eastern European leader Monday, adding he would murder reporters “if he could get away with it.”
Before making the claim, Scarborough denounced Trump for leaving his “60 Minutes” interview with Lesley Stahl pre-maturely due to tough questioning. (RELATED: Trump Cuts Off ’60 Minutes’ Interview With Lesley Stahl, Threatens To Publish Footage Himself)
“How fascinating that Donald Trump says it’s, quote, inappropriate for Lesley Stahl to ask tough questions,” said Scarborough. “It’s just, it’s really fascinating at this point to look how much that Donald Trump resembles an autocratic leader from eastern Europe, whether it’s Belarus or whether it’s Russia.”
“Actually, though he kills journalists, Vladimir Putin on camera actually seems a little more willing to answer tough questions when they are asked of him.” He added, “Donald Trump can’t even handle that.”
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Scarborough continued, “Of course, Donald Trump would kill reporters if he could get away with it. I think even his strongest supporters would admit Trump would do whatever he could get away with.”
The host made similar comments back in February, claiming “dictator” Trump would “arrest every journalist he didn’t like” if he could get away with it. (RELATED: MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Rants That ‘Dictator’ Trump Would ‘Arrest Every Journalist He Didn’t Like’ If He Could Get Away With It)
In 2015, then-candidate Trump defended Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s executions of journalists during an interview with Scarborough, and co-host Mika Brzezinski.
“Well, I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe,” Trump told Scarborough. “You know. there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world right now, Joe. A lot of killing going on and a lot of stupidity.”